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Vietnam's first BOT power plant opens

HANOI - A US$450 million (VND7.07 trillion) gas-fired power plant, Vietnam's first power plant built under the BOT (build-operate-transfer) form has begun commercial operations in the southern coastal province of Ba Ria Vung Tau.

The plant, which took 26 months to build, is fueled by gas from the Nam Con Son basin off the coast, under a 20-year agreement with a consortium including British giant, BP; SembCorp Utilities Pte Ltd of Singapore; and Japanese Kyushu Electric Power Co Inc/Nisso Iwai Corporation alliance.

After the 20-year agreement expires, the plant will be handed over to Electricity of Vietnam (EVN).

The plant is able to consume about three million cubic meters of gas per day at full capacity. It has a design capacity of 716.8 megawatts and is expected to add almost 10 percent to the current total designed capacity of all power plants in Vietnam.

The nation's power demand is expected to surge between 14 and 15 percent this year, according to EVN, who have warned against a shortage of power in forthcoming months following under performance at a major hydroelectric power plant, due to the falling level of water in reservoirs.

"Power supply will face many difficulties in the April-June period and power shortage at peak hour[s] would be probable" the EVN Power management center advised.

(Asia Pulse/VNA)


Mar 4, 2004


 
         
         
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