State-run Vietnam Electricity (EVN) and the People’s Committee of central Quang Nam province held a ground-breaking ceremony for the project that provides electricity access from the national grid to Cham Island (Cu Lao Cham) on January 9.

The project involves the installation of approximately 15.5 kilometres of 22kV submarine power cable and more than 17 kilometres of 22kV inland cable alongside the construction of six 22/0.4kV transformation stations with total designed capacity of 900 KVA.

It has an investment of nearly 485 billion VND (21.5 million VND), 85 percent of which was sourced from the State budget while the remaining comes from EVN Central Power Corporation (CPC).

It is expected to be operational on June 30 this year.

According to EVN Chairman Duong Quang Thanh, the project is intended to boost the tourism industry on the island and Hoi An Ancient Town and contribute to the protection of the country’s sovereignty.

Located 15 kilometres east from Cua Dai Beach in Hoi An city, Cu Lao Cham is a complex of eight small islands and a UNESCO-recognised Biosphere Reserve.

The island has a population of nearly 2,550 people living in four villages who live off aquatic farming and tourism.

It welcomes over 50,000 tourist arrivals every year. However, electricity generators have been only source of power in the island, causing many difficulties for locals and tourists.

Source: VNA