The southern province of Binh Phuoc announced on November 17 it has approved an investment plan for a US$54 million solar power plant project funded by Indian Tata Power Company.

The 49-megawatt plant will span 55ha in Loc Tan Commune, Loc Ninh District. Shenbagam Manthiram, chief representative officer of Tata Power Company in Viet Nam, said that the locality has good conditions for the company to carry out the project, including a significant period of daylight, convenient transport links and national grid connections.

Tata Power is asking the province to facilitate the project so that it can complete it before June 2019, he added.

Lauding the project, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Tram said he has asked the local Department of Industry and Trade and relevant agencies to support the company with legal assistance so that all necessary procedures can be finalised at the earliest.

He noted that the province will convert more than 20,000ha of forest land and rubber cultivation areas with low economic efficiency in Loc Ninh District into land for solar power development.

This will be made in tandem with branching out land funds to attract hi-tech agriculture development, Tram stressed, adding that the province is prioritising investment in renewable power and clean power. — VNS