Breakthrough in electric energy after 30 years of re-establishing Binh Thuan province

Thirty years ago, Binh Thuan was a poor province with a harsh climate, year-round sunshine and wind. It was thought that these difficulties would hinder the development of the province, but in that very period, the province turned those difficulties into advantages.

Along with reasonable preferential policies, attracting investment, exploiting potential, Binh Thuan gradually overcomes the "difficult" period. And now, the province is "broadly stepping" on the way to becoming a national energy center.

“Bright spot” from electric energy

In 1992, the whole province of Binh Thuan only had 44/111 communes, wards and townships with electricity, with 35% of the total households in the province having electricity, and per capita electricity consumption reached 28 kWh/person.

Electricity is only provided in a few essential areas at this time, while in mountainous, remote, and island areas, people have absolutely no electricity to use.

According to the Department of Industry and Trade of Binh Thuan province, the first years of re-establishment were the years when the province encountered many difficulties and shortages, from the lack of electricity grid infrastructure, most of which were old or degraded because they were not regularly maintained, There is also a serious shortage of human resources for construction investment.

However, with the determination of the authorities at all levels, by 2002 (only 10 years after the date of re-establishment), the works, the power grid system was promoted investment.

At this time in the province, there are 111/112 communes, wards and townships with electricity with 74% of the total households in the province having electricity, electricity consumption per capita reaches 229 kWh/person (of which, the number of households has electricity. electricity in rural areas is about 67 percent.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thanh Ngon, Director of Binh Thuan Power Company, with the determination to overcome difficulties of the locality and the power industry, investment in projects and power grid systems has been promoted and so far the province has 124 124 communes, wards and townships have electricity, 99.7% of the total households in the province have electricity; in which, the number of rural households with electricity reached 99.69%.

Commercial electricity in the province reached 2.4 billion kWh; electricity consumption per capita 1,816 kWh/person.

Over the years, electricity demand has been met for important components, production loads and people's daily life; ensure safe power supply for major holidays and important local events.

Phu Quy island district is one of the localities facing many difficulties in investing in power supply because it is far from the mainland.

People on the island mainly live by fishing and seafood. However, since the power came on, Phu Quy has changed rapidly, many industries have developed, making the small island change day by day.

In 1999, Phu Quy Electricity officially established and put into operation the first diesel power plant with a frequency of 5 hours per day (transmitted from 18:30 to 23:30). Small capacity, only serving mainly for lighting purposes at night.

By April 2002, the Southern Power Corporation increased the power generation hours on Phu Quy island to 12 hours per day.

In August 2012, PetroVietnam Electricity Renewable Energy Company put into operation the wind turbine system with the same source of the diesel plant serving the island.

In order to meet the needs of life and economic development of the island district, since July 2014, Southern Power Corporation has upgraded the system, increasing the power generation time from 16 hours to 24 hours per day, ensuring ensure a continuous power source around the clock to serve the needs of daily life and production on the island.

At the same time, the electricity industry also applies the electricity selling price equal to the land price. Since then, a new development phase has been opened for Phu Quy island district.

Mr. Huynh Van Hung, former Chairman of the People's Committee of Phu Quy island district, said that since being supplied with electricity 24/24 hours, the island district's socio-economic changes every day, especially in the field of fishing.

Many households invest in modern machinery to help preserve seafood. Business households have more conditions to develop and expand processing facilities, creating jobs and income for people.

Many households have built motels, hotels, opened restaurants, eateries with amenities and services like inland... to serve the number of domestic and foreign tourists.

There have appeared new tourism models such as homestay, island discovery tours, coral diving ... attracting many tourists.

From the beginning of 2016 up to now, thanks to the smooth power supply, Phu Quy tourism has made strong development steps.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tri, Head of the Propaganda Department of Phu Quy District Party Committee, said that a stable power source also plays an important role in building a new countryside, gradually erasing the distance between the island and the mainland.

Tourists now have come to richer places more, during the holidays, almost all hotels and motels on the island are full.

Businesses have invested in modern high-speed trains to bring visitors from the mainland to the island and vice versa, shortening the time from 7-8 hours ago to nearly 2.5 hours now. These are good signs for a new development phase in Phu Quy.

Turning the disadvantage of wind and sun into an advantage of renewable energy

Previously, Binh Thuan had a lot of sunshine, wind, and little rain... used to be a disadvantage that restrained the province's socio-economic development. Now, it is these disadvantages that have been turned into strengths and potentials for Binh Thuan to develop into a renewable energy center of the country, especially solar power, wind power and wind power in the near future. offshore.

According to experts on renewable energy, in recent times, the development trend of offshore wind power is very interested and this energy field in Binh Thuan is currently attracting a great deal of foreign investors. domestic and foreign investors.

Through the survey, Binh Thuan is the locality with the highest potential for wind and solar energy in the country (the average number of peak sunshine hours is 4.5-6 hours of sunshine, higher than the average above average nationwide is 3-5 hours).

The average number of sunny hours and wind hours is also higher than the average number of hours in the South, the wind speed and solar heat radiation are high and stable, very suitable and favorable for the development of wind power and solar power.

According to Binh Thuan Department of Industry and Trade, determining the development of renewable energy sources to become one of the pillars of the province's economic development, since 2010, Binh Thuan has developed a provincial wind power development plan for the period until 2020. 2020, with a vision to 2030 and approved by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in 2012.

By 2030, it is expected that the cumulative installed capacity will reach about 2,500MW with a corresponding wind power output of 5.4 billion kWh/year.

The province has also developed a Solar Power Plan for the period to 2020, a vision to 2030, the province's goal of developing solar power by 2030 with a total installed capacity of approximately 6,199 MWp, equivalent electricity output about 9.7 billion kWh/year.

In 2012, Wind Power Plant I in Binh Thanh commune, Tuy Phong district was inaugurated. This is a renewable energy project, the first wind power project in Vietnam with a large capacity, connected to the national electricity grid.

It provides about 85 million kWh of electricity annually and reduces emissions of 58,000 tons of CO2/year. The plant was built by Vietnam Renewable Energy Joint Stock Company (REVN) with a total capital of about 2,000 billion VND.

Speaking at the ceremony to put the country's first Wind Power Plant I into operation, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (currently President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam) highly appreciated and said that This has marked the beginning of exploiting the great potential of clean energy sources in Binh Thuan in particular and in Vietnam in general.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that strongly developing wind power projects will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the implementation of the program to combat climate change.

After this pioneering Wind Power Plant went into operation, renewable energy has become a field that attracts many domestic and foreign investors to Binh Thuan, especially in windy and sunny areas with high temperatures. High heat radiation in the North of the province such as Bac Binh and Tuy Phong districts...

Up to now, the whole province has more than 100 renewable energy projects (wind power, solar power) registered for investment with a total capacity of about 6,800MWp and a total investment of nearly 180,000 billion VND.

Mr. Le Thanh Nghi, General Director of Ha Do Binh Thuan Solar Power Joint Stock Company, said that the most important thing to develop solar power is to have good radiation and secondly, a large land area, which It is best that the land area does not affect other occupations, especially agriculture.

"We found that Binh Thuan fully meets the requirements set forth in the development of renewable energy today. Besides, we have been given very favorable conditions by the local government when coming here to invest here private." Mr. Le Thanh Nghi added.

As of July 2022, the province has 48 active power plants generating electricity with a total capacity of 6,520MW, including:

As of July 2022, the province has 48 active power plants generating electricity with a total capacity of 6,520MW, including:

- 4 coal-fired power plants under Vinh Tan Power Center;

- 7 hydroelectric plants;

- 10 wind power plants;

- 26 solar power plants;

- 1 diesel power plant on Phu Quy island district.

The designed power output of 48 power plants in the province is about 31.6 billion kWh/year.

It can be said that renewable energy projects from wind power and solar power in the province have been put into operation and commercial power generation in recent years have contributed to the overall socio-economic development of the province. Binh Thuan and ensure electricity supply for the southern key economic region, ensuring national energy security.