Vietnam Extends Construction Period of ADB-funded Hydropower Plant

Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has okayed to extend the completion time to June 2015 for Song Bung 4 hydropower plant in the central province of Quang Nam. No reason was given for the extension of the 156-MW plant, which cost total VND4.9 trillion ($235 million). Kicked off in June 2010, the project received a $196-million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). According to the initial schedule, turbine 1 of the plant was to start operation in November 2013 and the turbine 2 in March 2014. The two turbines are designed to generate an average of 586.25 million kWh of electricity per year. French conglomerate Alstom and its Chinese partner Hydrochina Huadong Engineering Corp signed an agreement with the state-run Electricity of Vietnam Group (EVN) in February 2012 to provide electro-mechanical equipment and technical services totaling $18 million for Song Bung 4. Under the contract, Alstom and Hydrochina Huadong will supply two Francis generators with capacity of 78MW each and supporting devices for the plant. (Chinhphu.vn Feb 24, Thoi Bao Kinh Te Vietnam Feb 25 p2)