Vietnam’s grid to receive boost

Several newly-built hydropower plants will be brought into operation early this year in the Central Vietnam.

The first turbine of the A Luoi Hydro-power Project in Thua Thien-Hue Province's A Luoi District, will become operational in the first quarter of 2011, after nearly 40 months of construction.

Project investor Central Hydro-Power JSC said construction costs of the 170-MW hydropower plant reached US$161 million.

Also in Thua Thien-Hue Province, two turbines with a combined 54MW capacity were brought into operation at the Huong Dien Hydropower Plant last month. The last turbine of this 81-MW power plant on the upper section of Bo River in Huong Dien District will become operational later this year.

This is the second medium-sized hydro-power plant in Thua Thien-Hue. The first, the 44-MW Binh Dien Hydro-power Plant, became operational and was connected to the national grid in 2009.