The BOT agreement was signed with a consortium of investors including Taekwang Power and Aowa Power. — Photo baodautu.vn

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The General Directorate of Energy under the Ministry of Industry and Trade signed an investment agreement for the Nam Dinh 1 Build-Transfer-Operation (BOT) Thermal Power Plant in Ha Noi yesterday.

The BOT agreement was signed with a consortium of investors including Taekwang Power and Aowa Power.

The plant would have two turbines with total capacity of 1,200MW in the northern Nam Dinh Province.

The US$2 billion project would use domestic coal from the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin).

After eight years of negotiations and signings, the project could ensure electricity supply for the province and northern localities as well as national energy security.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Daejoo Jun, South Korean ambassador to Viet Nam said this is the first project that sees the participation of a South Korean private firm.

It was the reason that the project would receive support from the Government, he said, and added that this could be an opportunity for South Korean businesses investing in Viet Nam.

Minister Vu Huy Hoang said the project has a vital role in the Viet Nam's power master plan 7.

The Viet Nam-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) officially came into effect on December 20, 2015. The signing ceremony is evidence of the strategic co-operation, Hoang said.

He asked the relevant parties to quickly implement the project.

The province said they would facilitate investors in granting the investment licence, financial arrangement and land clearance for the project's commencement by the middle of this year.

The plant is expected to become operational by 2020. The General Directorate of Energy has negotiated 19 other BOT projects. — VNS