Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN) has been speeding up completion of 61 solar power projects so that by the end of next month as many as 88 solar power plants will connect to the national grid and begin commercial operation.

A solar power plant in Mo Duc District, central province of Quang Ngai began operation in April.

As of April 23, only four solar power plants in Viet Nam had started commercial operation, but the number rose to 27 by May 17.

The additional 61 solar power plants in June are expected to generate a total capacity of 2,000MW.

With 88 solar power plants added to the national grid, renewable-energy (wind and solar) power plants in the country will generate about 4,000MW.

Renewable-energy power plant projects are mainly in the southern and south-central region, helping EVN to reduce pressure of supplying power to the southern region, a major economic hub of the country.

Under a Prime Minister decision dated April 11, 2017 on encouraging solar power projects in Viet Nam, projects connected to the national grid from June 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019 will be eligible to sell electricity to EVN at 2,086 VND (9.35 US cent) per kWh), excluding Value Added Tax (VAT), and adjusted according to the Vietnamese dong-US dollar exchange rate.

(Source: VNS)