Implementing energy development strategy

Good planning

The planning of Son La province has been approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1676/QD-TTg dated December 25, 2023, including planning of energy sources and plans for developing the power supply network of Son La province until 2030, with a vision to 2050.

Accordingly, The province plans 107 small hydropower projects with a total capacity of about 1,200 MW. Proposing to the Ministry of Industry and Trade to include in the implementation plan of Power VIII, by 2030, Son La province will develop an additional 610 MW of small hydropower, 2,758 MW of wind power, 5,428 MW of solar power, 41 MW of biomass power and 7 MW of waste power.

On the basis of the national power development plan, the national energy development plan, and the Son La provincial plan approved by competent authorities, the implementation of energy development in the province must comply with the plan.

Mr. Doan Van Chau, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, said: Right from the planning stage, small hydropower projects have been assessed and their impacts on the environment and people in the project area have been carefully identified before being considered for inclusion in the planning. The Department has studied the proposal documents of the enterprise, sent documents to request opinions from departments, branches, and district-level People's Committees, and at the same time, gone to the field to make a preliminary assessment of hydropower and the proposed location of the project, the impacts on the environment, natural forests, national security and defense, the ability to connect and release capacity, etc. And only advised the Provincial People's Committee to consider submitting to competent authorities for hydropower plants that meet the requirements and have local consensus.

Attracting investment projects

Energy projects after planning approval have been publicly announced to attract investors to participate in implementation. The province encourages economic sectors, especially the private sector, to participate in investing in developing small hydropower in the area. Directing departments, branches and localities to create conditions and support investors to implement energy projects. The development of small hydropower ensures efficiency and safety; solving the requirements between socio-economic development, environmental protection, production development, stabilizing life, ensuring national defense and security.

By April 2025, Son La province had granted investment policies to 70 small hydropower projects with a total capacity of 843.8 MW, of which: 57 projects have been completed (capacity of 670.3 MW) ; 65 projects are under construction (capacity of 103 MW); 7 projects are preparing for investment (capacity of 70.5 MW).

Currently, Son La province is waiting for instructions from central ministries and branches to continue appraising and granting investment policies for 6 small hydropower projects with a total capacity of 44 MW, total investment of about 1,500 billion VND and 5 wind power projects with a total capacity of 400 MW, total investment of about 18,000 billion VND.

The Department of Industry and Trade presides over and coordinates with the departments of Finance, Agriculture and Environment, Construction, and District People's Committees to appraise basic designs and technical designs of hydropower projects to ensure compliance with approved planning, investment policy decisions, environmental protection, and current design standards and regulations. and in accordance with the practical situation at the time of project implementation. Every year, the Department of Industry and Trade develops a plan to inspect compliance with legal regulations on construction quality management for small hydropower construction projects, promptly providing guidance, reminders and handling violations according to regulations.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Ha, Deputy General Director of Nam Chien Hydropower Joint Stock Company, said: Nam Chien Hydropower Plant was invested in construction of 7,700 billion VND, total capacity of 200 MW, designed electricity output of 813 million kWh/year in Muong La district. The process of investment, construction and operation of the hydropower plant has been interested by all levels and sectors to create favorable conditions, ensuring safety and efficiency of power generation.

Engineers of Nam Chien Hydropower Plant directly operate electricity production.

Ensuring energy security

Currently, Son La province has a rich and diverse power infrastructure that ensures the supply of electricity to meet the demand for electricity to serve the province's socio-economic development, contributing to ensuring national energy security. Son La has 60 hydropower plants with a capacity of 3,794 MW, 1 biomass power plant of 9 MW, and 60 MWp of rooftop solar power, reaching 63.2% of the power development plan by 2030.

Every year, the province's electricity production output is from 12-15 billion kWh, accounting for 5-6% of the total electricity production nationwide. Electricity consumption in the province accounts for only about 6.2% of the electricity produced. The rate of existing renewable energy sources is 100%. The power grid system is invested in new construction and upgrading, ensuring the ability to transmit full capacity of power sources included in the plan to implement the VIII power plan. 100% of important customers use 2 sources, some especially important customers are supplied with electricity from 3 sources.

Pa Chien Hydroelectric Plant, Chieng San Commune, Muong La.

In addition to developing electricity, the province also pays attention to managing and effectively exploiting coal energy. The total number of coal mines in the province that have been discovered, searched and explored is 16 (1 peat mine and 15 fat coal and fine coal mines) with a total reserve of 3.9 million tons. Of which, 12/16 coal mines are planned for exploration and exploitation; 3/16 mines are newly discovered and have not been investigated or evaluated. Of the 12 planned coal mines, 2/12 have been licensed for exploitation with a licensed reserve of 2.7/3.97 million tons, with an exploitation capacity of about 150,000 tons/year.

Regarding the fuel storage and supply system, the province has 185 petrol stations, of which 179 are in operation. In urban areas, national highways in the province have developed petrol retail stations, basically ensuring to meet consumer demand and serve economic development.

Son La Petroleum One Member Co., Ltd. currently has a system of 44 petroleum, gas and general trading stores and 40 stores belonging to franchise traders across 12 districts and cities of Son La province, accounting for more than 55% of the petroleum consumption market share in the area.

Mr. Pham Ba Tien, Director of Son La Petroleum One Member Co., Ltd., said: With the development orientation from 2025 to 2030, Son La Petroleum One Member Co., Ltd. is an enterprise holding a leading position in the field of petroleum trading in Son La province, ensuring the successful completion of its role in regulating the supply of petroleum, gas and petrochemical products to meet people's consumption needs, serving production and socio-economic development programs, national defense, security, especially ensuring energy security in the province.

Staff of Son La Petroleum One Member Co., Ltd. serving customers.

Sticking to the goals according to the roadmap in Resolution No. 55-NQ/TW, Son La province continues to Implement well the planning management, promote investment attraction, build synchronous energy infrastructure from production to transmission, distribution and use of energy, contributing to ensuring national energy security, promoting the province's socio-economic development in a fast and sustainable direction, protecting the environment and improving people's lives.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/kinh-te/thuc-hien-chien-luoc-phat-trien-nang-luong-Xc9XHAbHR.html