Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung launched a project to supply power to Lai Son island commune in Kien Hai district, the southern province of Kien Giang on September 4, which is expected to benefit 1,956 local households.

According to the Southern Power Corporation, a 110-kilovolt transmission line will be installed with the total cost of 368 billion VND (1.63 million USD). The 43.9-kilometre-long line includes 19.4-km inland and 24.5-km sea-crossing segments using 48 power poles.

A 110-kV transformer station with two 25-MVA transformers will also be constructed before the project is scheduled to be completed in April 2016.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung reviews the project supplying power to Lai Son island commune. Photo: qdnd.vn

Addressing the launching ceremony, PM Nguyen Tan Dung said the project, the country’s largest sea crossing 110kV line, is expected to contribute to boosting local socio-economic growth, improve the living conditions of locals and attract investment to benefitting communes.

It will help reduce the use of diesel generators on the islands, easing pollution, and make the islands a firm defence system protecting the national sovereignty and sovereignty rights over sea and islands, he said.

He also praised efforts of the Vietnam Electricity, the Southern Power Corporation and Kien Giang government in implementing the project, meeting the demand for socio-economic and tourism development in Lai Son.

Located in the southwest waters of the country and 60 kilometres southwest of Rach Gia city, Lai Son island covers 1,095 hectares and has a population of 8,120 people.

Currently, local residents only have access to electricity for half the day using diesel generators, which greatly affects their production and living conditions.

Lai Son is one of seven island communes benefitting from a programme to connect inshore islands in Kien Giang with the national power grid, invested with over 1.5 trillion VND (66.7 million USD) and bringing power to 8,600 households.

Lai Son is included in the first phase of the three-phase programme spanning from 2015-2016. In the second phase, from 2016-2018, power will be supplied to the four communes of Hon Nghe, Son Hai, Tien Hai and Hon Thom via a 22-kV transmission line with 474 billion VND (21 million USD) in total investment.

In the last phase from 2018-2020, An Son and Nam Du communes will be connected to the power grid using a 22-kV undersea transmission line with a cost of 664 billion VND (29.5 million USD).

Source: VNA