On the morning of July 2, a working delegation from the National Assembly's Committee on Science, Technology and Environment, led by Central Party Committee Member and Committee Chairwoman Nguyen Thanh Hai, conducted a field survey at the Trung Nam Thuan Nam Solar Power Plant Project (450MW) combined with a 500kV Substation. The visit supports the review of the draft Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Electricity Law, the draft Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Environmental Protection Law, and the draft (Amended) Law on Marine and Island Natural Resources and Environment.
Speaking at the working session, Committee Chairwoman Nguyen Thanh Hai stated that the Thuan Nam Solar Power Plant Project was selected for the survey because it is one of the country's large-scale renewable energy projects and a distinctive model in which the enterprise invests in both the power plant and the power transmission system.
Ms. Nguyen Thanh Hai (in black) surveys the operations control room of the Trung Nam Thuan Nam Solar Power Plant
Thuan Nam Solar Power Plant: A Pioneering Model in Energy Infrastructure Investment
Reporting to the survey delegation, Mr. Nguyen Tam Tien, General Director of Trungnam Construction Investment Joint Stock Company, said: "The Thuan Nam Solar Power Plant Project, invested by Trung Nam Thuan Nam Solar Power Co., Ltd., has a capacity of 450MW, combined with a 500kV substation and 500kV/220kV transmission line systems connected to the national power grid. With a total investment of VND 11,482 billion, the project officially began commercial operation on October 1, 2020, adding 450MW of power capacity to the national grid and helping to relieve capacity bottlenecks for renewable energy projects in the region."
After more than 5 years of operation, the Thuan Nam 500kV substation has transmitted more than 36.2 billion kWh of electricity, including over 31.2 billion kWh transmitted on behalf of Vietnam Electricity (EVN) — accounting for 85% of total transmission output — contributing approximately VND 556 billion to the state budget and helping reduce roughly 400,000 tons of CO₂ per year.
Trungnam's Recommendations on Improving the Renewable Energy Development Mechanism
Drawing on practical experience from investing in and operating the project, Trungnam shared a number of proposals with the survey delegation aimed at improving policy and creating conditions for the sustainable development of the power industry.
The recommendations focus on improving the mechanism for socializing investment in transmission grids, developing a transmission pricing mechanism or cost-sharing arrangement for transmission infrastructure invested by the private sector, and studying a mechanism for transferring such infrastructure to the State where appropriate.
The company also proposed continuing to refine the Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA) mechanism, the electricity pricing mechanism, power system development planning, and standardizing power purchase agreements to allocate risk more reasonably between parties in order to attract investment into renewable energy.
In addition, Trungnam recommended supplementing regulations on managing SCADA control systems, studying mechanisms for investing in and operating Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and developing policies for the treatment and recycling of solar panels at the end of their service life, moving toward developing the energy industry according to a circular economy model.
Mr. Nguyen Tam Tien, General Director of Trungnam Construction Investment Joint Stock Company, raises policy-related recommendations
At the working session, the company also raised several difficulties encountered during project operation, including the mechanism for allocating transmission infrastructure operating costs and the settlement of electricity payments, and recommended that relevant authorities continue studying solutions to ensure investment efficiency and the sustainable development of renewable energy projects.
Committee Chairwoman Nguyen Thanh Hai commended the results achieved by the Thuan Nam Solar Power Plant Project, affirming that the practical experience gained, as well as the difficulties and obstacles encountered during investment and operation, would serve as an important basis for studying and finalizing the draft Law Amending and Supplementing a Number of Articles of the Electricity Law.
Regarding recommendations related to the mechanism for socializing transmission grid investment, the direct power purchase mechanism, power system development planning, and administrative procedure reform, the survey delegation will consolidate and study these issues together with relevant ministries and agencies to support policy formulation and improvement.
On environmental protection, the working delegation noted the need to continue studying solutions for treating and recycling solar panels at the end of their service life, and to encourage the application of advanced recycling technologies to promote the development of the energy industry in a green, circular, and sustainable direction.