Ministry of Industry and Trade assigns EVN to propose building new power lines, increasing electricity imports from Laos

That was the direction of Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien at the Conference to promote cooperation in coal trading between Vietnam and Laos held on December 9, with the participation of representatives of the Lao Embassy in Vietnam and a number of businesses operating in the field of mineral exploitation in Laos.

Bộ Công thương giao EVN đề xuất làm đường dây mới, tăng nhập khẩu điện từ Lào - Ảnh 1. — Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien directed at the conference.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Dien said that implementing the content of the high-level agreement between the Vietnamese and Lao governments, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (Vietnam) and the Ministry of Energy and Mines (Laos) signed a memorandum of understanding on energy cooperation. Accordingly, Vietnam's import of electricity and coal from Laos not only helps develop the economy between the two countries but also achieves the dual goals of national security and defense and energy supply for the economy.

To ensure electricity supply in the coming years, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien requested the Department of Electricity and Renewable Energy (Ministry of Industry and Trade) and EVN to urgently submit to the Government a mechanism for electricity import prices from Laos and complete it in the first quarter of 2024.

Mr. Dien also requested EVN, based on the demand and ability to import electricity from Laos, to urgently study and propose in December the deployment of a new transmission line from Laos to Vietnam to call for investment to increase the capacity to import electricity from Laos.

In addition, to implement the policy of importing coal from Laos according to the high-level agreement, Mr. Dien assigned the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (TKV) and the Dong Bac Corporation to propose a mechanism for importing (buying and selling prices) coal from Laos to Vietnam; deploy solutions to improve the capacity of receiving coal to Vietnam; sign a contract in principle with a Lao partner specifically on output and will implement it immediately after the agreement is approved.

At the conference, the head of the industry and trade sector requested the Ministry of Energy and Mines, representatives of the Lao Embassy in Vietnam, and Lao coal suppliers to promptly report and propose to the Lao Government to reduce coal export tax and related fees to reduce costs when exporting to Vietnam; invest, upgrade or support businesses with infrastructure systems, warehouses, and coal transportation to Vietnam.

Previously, in September, EVN sent a document requesting the Ministry of Industry and Trade to consider and submit to competent authorities the policy of importing more electricity from Laos to increase supply to the North by 2025.

Accordingly, EVN proposed that the Ministry of Industry and Trade soon submit to competent authorities for approval the policy of importing electricity with a total capacity of 225 MW from wind power and hydropower plants such as Nam Mo, Houay Koauan and the connection plan with 3 wind power plants Savan 1 and 2.

Also in September, EVN launched the construction of the 500 kV Monsoon - Thanh My transmission line project (section in Vietnam) to import electricity from Laos. The project has a total investment of over VND 1,100 billion. When completed and put into operation, it will be able to transmit a maximum capacity of up to about 2,500 MW, contributing to improving the operational capacity of the national power system through importing electricity from Laos.

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