What can we see from the rapid completion of the electricity transmission line from Laos to Vietnam by businessman Do Quang Hien's T&T Group?

Right before the 80th anniversary of National Day on September 2, T&T Group of businessman Do Quang Hien quickly completed the power transmission line from Savan 1 Wind Power Plant (Laos) to the Vietnam border.

This story not only demonstrates T&T's determination and potential with its cross-border energy investment strategy, creating a practical milestone to celebrate major national holidays; moreover, it proves the increasingly important role of the private sector in ensuring national energy security in the long term.

Six months of rapid progress: The crucial project to bring electricity from Laos to Vietnam reaches completion.

In early September, news that Savan 1 Wind Power Company Limited – a member of T&T Group – had completed the connection of the power transmission line from the Savan 1 Wind Power Plant (Savannakhet, Laos) to the first tower of the 220kV line on the Vietnamese side came as a surprise to many energy experts. This was because just over six months prior, the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment had awarded the project concession contract to T&T.

Immediately afterwards, the construction of the 220kV transmission line connecting Vietnam to the grid was rapidly implemented. In terms of scale, the transmission line has a total length of 52.56 km running through the neighboring country. The starting point of the line is located at G7, adjacent to the border between the two countries. The end point connects to the 220kV substation of the Savan 1 wind power plant. The entire line includes 117 tower locations and 30 anchorage spans. The towers are designed as galvanized steel towers connected by bolts; the reinforced concrete foundations are cast in place.

On January 9, 2025, the concession contract for the Savan 1 wind power project was awarded, and just one day later, construction of the transmission line from the plant to Vietnam began.

Just one day after the concession contract was signed, clearing and road construction began. All materials and equipment had to be transported from Vietnam to Laos, while the complex terrain, traversing mountains, forests, and villages, coupled with numerous import and export procedures and permits required to bring personnel and machinery to the site, along with the impact of weather conditions, created considerable difficulties and obstacles during construction.

"The leaders of T&T Group have directed that maximum conditions be created to enable the General Contractor to quickly access the site, gather supplies, materials, and personnel; and support related procedures so that the contractor has the best conditions to work," said Mr. Nguyen Thai Ha, General Director of Savan 1 Wind Power.

Thanks to unwavering determination, just one month later, on February 10th, the foundation system was put into operation. By mid-March, nearly 500 officials and workers began erecting poles on the ground. This high level of determination, enduring the sun and rain, was continuously maintained throughout both circuits of the massive project; thus creating a rare feat of rapid deployment. By May 15th, just three months later, the first meters of wire had been pulled up to the high points.

Notably, on the evening of August 31st, just before the National Day celebrations, the final power line was laid across the Se Pon River, the natural border between Vietnam and Laos, completing the connection of the transmission line from Savan 1 to the first pole of the 220kV line on the Vietnamese side.

After more than 6 months of rapid construction, the 220kV transmission line from the Savan 1 wind power plant in Laos has been completed and is ready to be connected to Vietnam's national power grid in the near future.

According to the General Director of Savan 1 Wind Power Plant, this is a crucial milestone in completing the entire transmission line connecting the Savan 1 wind power plant to the 220 KVA Lao Bao substation, ensuring the plant's commissioning (COD) is on schedule before December 31, 2025. This success was achieved thanks to the close guidance of the T&T Group's leadership and the efforts of hundreds of engineers and workers who worked day and night on the border site, overcoming harsh conditions and racing against time to create this miracle.

T&T Group's early move in line with Resolution 70.

Placed in a broader context, T&T Group's rapid journey in Laos also demonstrates the private sector's aspiration to partner with the country in developing sustainable energy; creating a foundation for double-digit growth in the future.

Recently, on behalf of the Politburo, General Secretary To Lam signed and promulgated Resolution No. 70-NQ/TW on ensuring national energy security until 2030, with a vision to 2045. Besides strategic contents, the Resolution emphasizes prioritizing the thorough and efficient exploitation and utilization of renewable energy sources, new energy sources, and clean energy; while encouraging and creating favorable conditions for economic sectors, especially the private sector, to participate in energy development.

The resolution also advocates for expanding electricity and gas grid connectivity within the ASEAN region, participating more deeply in the international energy market; and encourages Vietnamese businesses to invest abroad to proactively import electricity, gas, and oil.

T&T Group's green and clean energy projects demonstrate the company's aspiration to contribute to the nation's development.

Experts believe that, in line with Resolution 68-NQ/TW on the development of the private economy, the new resolution on energy has opened up opportunities for private enterprises to become the core force in energy investment, production, and business. In this context, the private sector is both the subject and the entity involved in national energy development. The private sector participates not only in power generation but also in transmission, distribution, services, and technology. This contributes to solving the capital problem, reducing pressure on public investment, and improving governance efficiency.

Looking at T&T Group's journey in Laos, it's clear that Chairman Hien's company proactively participated in key stages from a very early stage, in line with the spirit of Resolution 70.

This was evident from the very beginning of the investment in Savan 1. The project concession contract, signed in January 2025, agreed to allow Savan 1 Wind Power Company Limited to design, build, own, and operate the project for a period of 25 years. This means that a member unit of T&T Group has the right to participate deeply and play a leading role in terms of capital, technology, etc., in the clean energy project with a total capacity of up to 495MW.

Leaders of the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment hand over the concession contract for the Savan 1 wind power project to Mr. Nguyen Thai Ha, General Director of Savan 1 Wind Power Company Limited (second from the left). (Photo by Nhat Bac/VGP)

Secondly, the project's objective is to export electricity back to Vietnam. According to the plan, Phase 1 will be put into commercial operation by the end of 2025. This goal aligns with the direction of Resolution 70; and simultaneously fulfills T&T's commitment to cross-border energy investment strategy, contributing to increasing the domestic electricity supply.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh, Deputy General Director of T&T Group and Chairwoman of Savan 1 Wind Power Company Limited, stated that the signing of the concession contract is a significant milestone, not only contributing to the development of a promising sector in the neighboring country and meeting domestic energy needs through electricity production and export to Vietnam, but also serving as an important event to promote economic cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.

"The Savan 1 wind power plant will be a pioneering project and a foundation for T&T Group to continue investing in many other energy projects in Laos in the future," Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh emphasized.

Most recently, the rapid completion of the transmission line further demonstrates the determination and aspirations of T&T Group and the private sector in accompanying the country and ensuring national energy security in a long-term, strategic vision; creating a solid foundation for the goal of continuous growth of over 10% in the coming period.

In the long term, T&T Group is currently aiming to achieve a total power generation capacity of 16,000 - 20,000 MW by 2035, accounting for approximately 10% of Vietnam's power system capacity. The majority of this capacity will come from clean energy sources such as solar power, wind power, LNG power, biomass power, and green hydrogen/ammonia, with the goal of achieving net-zero emissions for Vietnam by 2050.

To date, businessman Do Quang Hien's group has implemented cumulative investments totaling 2,800 MW; including the completion and commissioning of 10 wind and solar power plants in various provinces and cities nationwide, with a total installed capacity and grid connection to the national power grid reaching nearly 1,000 MW.

T&T Group has been and continues to cooperate with leading global partners in the energy sector.

Furthermore, T&T Group is also collaborating with Korean partners to implement the Hai Lang LNG power plant project, Phase 1, with a capacity of 1,500 MW and an investment of approximately US$2.5 billion, expected to be operational in 2029. Not stopping there, T&T Group is continuing to develop and invest in numerous renewable energy and low-carbon emission projects. These include solar power, onshore and offshore wind power, biomass power, LNG power, conversion of coal-fired power plants to LNG, a battery storage system (BESS) manufacturing plant, and research into new energy sources such as hydrogen and ammonia.

Projects aimed at supplying electricity to the national grid, selling electricity to FDI enterprises under the Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA), providing energy storage solutions for renewable energy plants, and supplying green electricity for hydrogen production have been approved in the Implementation Plan for Power Development Plan VIII and are being further added to the revised Power Development Plan VIII. T&T Group is preparing the necessary conditions to implement investment, construction, and operation of these projects in the 2026-2030 period.

In the area of ​​expanding relations with advanced technology partners in the energy sector, one of the important tasks set out in Resolution 70, in reality, Mr. Hien's group has proactively "joined forces" with many "big players" such as Hanwha, Kogas, Kospo, SK E&S (Korea); erex, Marubeni, Sojittz, JPower (Japan); Cospower, Gedi, Goldwind (China), BP (UK), Vinacom (Laos)... Notably, Standard Chartered Bank has committed a $6 billion financing package for T&T Group's green energy projects.

Returning to the story of Resolution 70-NQ-TW, many experts affirm that this newly effective resolution will certainly be a pillar, creating an "energy foundation," helping Vietnam realize its aspiration for rapid, sustainable growth and become a developed nation by 2045. And certainly, on that journey full of expectations, the footprint of the private business sector, exemplified by T&T Group, will be present.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/thay-gi-tu-viec-tt-group-cua-doanh-nhan-do-quang-hien-than-toc-hoan-thanh-duong-truyen-tai-dien-tu-lao-ve-viet-nam-326865.html