VN may buy more power from Laos
VIETNAM is considering importing more electricity from Laos to fulfil growing demand and offset supply shortages caused by removing polluting power sources, Vietnamese local media reported recently.
Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to submit a master plan to develop power generation sources by 2025, emphasising the need to diversify supply sources and consider supply from Laos, Vietnam Net reported. There were no details concerning the amount of energy required.
Lao Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines Viraphonh Viravong told Vientiane Times yesterday that a Vietnamese delegation is expected to visit Laos in the coming weeks when it is believed the issue will be discussed. Laos has exported 250MW generated by the Xekhaman III hydropower plant to Vietnam, while the Xekhaman I dam is set to generate 290MW for Vietnam at the experimental-operations stage.
Viraphonh said Laos and Vietnam had signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which Vietnam expressed its intention to import as much as 5,000MW from Laos, which has considerable potential for the export of hydropower.
Under the plan, Laos is expected to generate 10,000MW by 2020. Up to 75 per cent of this amount is expected to be exported as domestic demand is forecast at only 25 per cent, the deputy minister added.
By 2030, Laos' power production capacity is expected to rise further to 20,000MW, which will be in excess of domestic demand and set for export to its neighbours.
Vietnam is looking to buy more power from Laos as the country's requirements are very high, according to Vietnam Net.
In 2015-16, Vietnam generated 150 billion kWh of electricity and will need more than 200 billion kWh by 2020 to run factories and satisfy daily needs. To generate more power, Vietnam has built large coal thermopower plants while planning to import coal at high prices to run the plants, it reported.
Deputy chair of the Vietnam Power Association Tran Dinh Long was quoted by the news agency as saying that if Vietnam bought electricity from Laos, it could avoid the burning of coal and building more coal-fired power plants, which would help to protect the environment.
With Laos having high potential to produce electricity for export, some 12,500MW of hydropower from Laos would keep 30-60 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being emitted annually, according to Viraphonh.
