Prime Minister calls for mulling over nuclear power development

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Photo: VGP

Addressing a meeting on power development on Saturday, Pham called for speeding up progress of transmission lines for power imports from Laos and China, in which construction of the 500kV Lao Cai-Vinh Yen transmission line must be competed within six months and the 220kV Nam Sum-Nong Cong transmission line in 2024.

He tasked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to promptly finalize amendments and supplementation to the Law on Electricity and submit it to the National Assembly at its upcoming working session.

The Government chief also called for diversifying power sources, including renewable energy such as wind and solar power, in a bid to help Viet Nam realize the country's commitments at the COP26.

The Government estimated that one percent GDP growth would requires 1.5 percent growth in power production. With the government's GDP growth goal of 7 percent this year, power generation needs to grow by 10.5 percent.

In the first nine months this year, the total domestic power generation and imports reach 232.8 billion kWh, ayear-on-year increase of nearly 11 percent, according to the State-owned company Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN).

For the last three months, the total domestic power generation and imports are estimated at more than 77 billion kWh, said the EVN.

In 2024, primary power consumption is expected to increase by 11-13 percent from 2023, the Government said.

Primary power consumption is estimated to increase by 12-13 percent next year, which requires the country to raise power generation capacity by an addition of around 2,200- 2,500MW./.