The Clean Energy Development in Ca Mau province: Potential, Solutions and Petitions
05:43 | 23/07/2020
Ca Mau is the southernmost province of the country, with low and flat terrain, 3 sides bordering the sea to the east, south and west with a coastline of over 254 km.
The province has the strong potential for developing wind power projects with the sea wind speed of about 6.3-7.0 m /s at an altitude of 80-100 meters, and solar power projects with an average sunshine number of hours of 2000 – 2200 h/year.
In addition, Ca Mau has surrounding islands, with a distance and depth suitable to develop floating LNG storage depots for electricity generation and other demands.
In recent time, Ca Mau PPC received and worked with many domestic and foreign investors on investment opportunities for renewable energy and LNG power projects in the province.
Up to now, there are more 30 investors proposing to implement the power projects with a total capacity of about 12,000 MW including:
29 wind power projects with a total capacity of 6.050 MW, among which 8 projects with a total capacity of 550 MW having approved investment policy. One of 8 these projects is Tan Thuan project starting for construction at December 27, 2019.
13 projects with a total capacity of 4,150 MW have submitted by Ca Mau PPC to MOIT for supplementing to the National Power Development Planning (NPDP); 02 projects with capacity of 250 MW approved by Standing Committee of Ca Mau PPC, and the investors are completing documents to submit to MOIT for supplementing to the NPDP; 6 projects with a capacity of 1,100 MW are studying for base to supplement to NPDP.
The solar power projects connected to the grids with a total capacity of 1,450 MWp including a project of 1,000 MWp in combination with aquaculture having submitted by Ca Mau PPC to MOIT for supplementing to NPDP, and a project of 400 MWp in combination with aquaculture that applied by investors for investment policy from Ca Mau PPC.
The LNG thermal power projects with a total capacity of 4,500 MW including a project of B. Grimm company with capacity of 3,000 MW having submitted to MOIT for supplementing to NPDP; and Ca Mau 3 project with a capacity of 1,500 MW proposed by PVN and agreed by Ca Mau PPC for project study.
According to Ca Mau PPC, the power projects were implemented slowly, and did not ensure the proposed progress due to the following reasons:
Firstly, according to the current situation of the province's power grid, there are 220 kV transmission lines to release power for Ca Mau Power Plants 1 and 2, including 4 lines (8 circuits) to neighboring provinces (1 line to Kien Giang, 1 line to Can Tho, 1 line to Soc Trang and 1 line to Bac Lieu) currently transmit about 40% of the designed capacity, so in coming time, these lines can release capacity for wind power projects supplemented to NPDP. However, in the case if wind and LNG power projects come together, the transmission lines cannot release their capacities.
Secondly, the connection lengths from wind power projects to the transformer stations are rather far, so each investor of wind power project must invest in separate transmission lines that lead to increasing the investment costs and reducing project efficiency.
Thirdly, supplementing the projects to NPDP is very slowly that affects project progress schedule of the investors.
To remove these difficulties, in order to help accelerate the implementation of projects, the People's Committee of Ca Mau Province recommends:
Firstly: to accelerate the appraisal and approval progress schedule for supplementing projects with favorable land conditions and easy connection to release capacity to the PDP VII (adjusted) in accordance with MOIT Decision No 329/QĐ-BCT, 20/01/2020 on a principle “approving to supplement first the project what PPC submits to MOIT first” and accelerate progress schedule for investment in Ca Mau-Nam Can 220 kV transmission line and Nam Can 220 kV transformer substation.
Secondly, Supplementing to the Power Development Planning VIII (PDP VIII) 500 kV transmission line to Ca Mau province, Ca Mau 500 kV transformer station and 220 kV transmission line for connecting the loop to the East. South and West of province for comfortable releasing capacities of the projects.
At the same time, recognizing the projects proposed by the investors but not supplemented to PDP VII (adjusted) for putting into PDP VIII.
VER.
