The plant's ground-breaking ceremony on Friday. — Photo congthuong.vn

The construction of Hiep Thanh wind-power plant, valued at nearly VND3.37 trillion (US$145 million) began in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh late last week.

Twenty per cent of the total investment comes from its investor - the province-based Ecotech Tra Vinh Renewable JSC - while the remainder is loans provided by the investment fund Climate Investment One of the Netherlands and South Korean Samtan International Co, the online newspaper congthuong.vn reported.

The plant covers a site of more than 2,700ha in the coastal commune of Hiep Thanh in Duyen Hai Town and has a designed capacity of 78MW from 18 turbines.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Tran Anh Dung said the plant will supply 300 million kWh of electricity annually while creating up to 100 local jobs.

The plant is expected to be completed in mid-2021.

Viet Nam has set lofty goals for renewable energy, targeting raising total production from 58 billion kWh in 2015 to 101 billion kWh in 2020, 186 billion kWh in 2030 and 452 billion kWh in 2050.

Under the country's renewable energy development strategy, which was approved by the Government in 2015, Viet Nam is aiming to increase the ratio of electricity from renewable sources from 35 per cent of total output in 2015 to 38 per cent in 2020 and 43 per cent in 2050. — VNS