More than 7,400 billion dong to make a 500 kV line increased electricity from China

500 kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen project, the route through the territory of Yen Bai province was started by Vietnam Electricity (EVN) on March 3. This is a national key project, approved by the Prime Minister in October 2024.

The project is a double circuit with a total length of 229.5 km, with a total of 468 electric pole locations. The project passes through 4 provinces including Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho and Vinh Phuc with the first point of 500 kV Lao Cai station, the end point is Vinh Yen 500kV station. The total investment is over 7,410 billion dong, of which 80% from the loan capital of the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank), the rest is the reciprocal capital of EVN.

It is expected that the construction project is 6 months before September 2. After operating, the project will relieve about 2,000 MW from hydroelectric plants in the Northwest region and neighboring provinces.

According to the representative of EVN, the 500 kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen line also helps to increase the ability to import electricity and reserve ready for electricity sources purchased from China when Vietnam needs. Earlier, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said that EVN researched and proposed to buy an additional 3,000 MW from China through the Vietnam -China border, with an output of 15 billion kWh per year. If this plan is approved, the power source from neighboring water will connect to the 500 kV Lao Cai transformer station and relieve the main capacity via the 500 kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen line.

In addition to domestic sources (hydroelectricity, gas, renewable energy …), imported electricity is one of the plan to ensure the demand for energy use with the goal of high growth in the coming time.

At the draft of the adjustment of electricity planning VIII, the Ministry of Industry and Trade calculates the proportion of imported electricity, which can account for 5% of the total power source installed up to 2030. This level is about 1.7% higher than the current plan and 4% as of the late 2024. Specifically, the Ministry of Import Import and Exports is about 3,700 MW from China to 2030, up 3,000 MW compared to VIII Electrical Planning. Along with that, Vietnam also calculated to increase electricity from Laos, expected to reach 6,800 MW in 2030 in the high growth scenario. This level is nearly 1.6 times higher than the capacity given at the VIII Electrical Plan (4,300 MW).

According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the amount of electricity imported increased steadily in recent years, reaching 5 billion kWh at the end of 2024. In 2021, the output decreased to about 1.4 billion kWh due to the suspension of buying from China.