PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The primary objective of the sector Project is to develop rural electrification and renewable energy in Viet Nam to benefit ethnic minority communities inhabiting remote and poorer parts of the country. The Project consists of two investment components: (i) development of mini-hydropower plants in mountain provinces, and (ii) network expansion and rehabilitation of distribution networks serving poor provinces.
Component 1 of the Project will develop about 5-10 grid-connected run-of-river mini-hydropower plants of 7.5 megawatts (MW) or less capacity, totaling 30 MW in several provinces in northern and central Viet Nam. Electricity connections will be provided to about 60-75 villages in poor, remote ethnic minority areas in northern Viet Nam, and minimum 100 gigawatt hours (GWh) of hydropower energy to the national grid.
Component 2 of the Project will support the Government's ongoing special program of supporting rural electrification of poor provinces inhabited by ethnic minorities. The Government requested assistance to extend this program to five provinces: Dien Bien and Lai Chau in Northern region; Tra Vinh and Soc Trang in Mekong Delta; and Quang Tri in central Viet Nam. Approximately 100,000 poor households in about 1,000 villages are expected to receive electricity under this component.
The Project will include an associated technical assistance (TA) grant for capacity building for renewable energy development.