2,400 MW Son La Hydropower Project Fully Operational

All six turbines at Vietnam’s 2,400-MW Son La hydropower plant have been connected to the national grid, marking the completion of the nation’s largest hydroelectric project.Work on the US$2.5 billion project began in 2005, with the previous five Francis-type turbines being put into service incrementally throughout the construction process.

Already, Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN) says the Son La complex has contributed about 11,400 GWh to the grid, adding a reported $55 million back to the Son La Province’s budget.
The Son La project includes a 453 feet by 300 feet concrete dam that impounds the Da River in north Vietnam.

For an overview of the Vietnamese Hydropower market, see the September-October edition of PiMagazine, available online from next week.