The delegates pressed the button to kick off the longest submarine cable in Southeast Asia Region in the morning of October 17, 2013 in Ham Ninh Commune, Phu Quoc District, Kien Giang Province

Vietnam Electricity – Southern Power Corporation (EVN SPC, the Owner), along with People’s Committee of Kien Giang Province organized the opening ceremony to kick off the first-ever 100kV submarine cable in Vietnam connecting Phu Quoc to the National Power Network.

According to the owner, this is a large-scale project, with complex technology and the first of its kind in Vietnam to ensure the uninterrupted and stable power supply for Phu Quoc Island, which is designed as a special economic-administrative zone, a main tourism and resort center, a trade center of Vietnam, the region and the world.

The total cost is estimated at VND 2,336 billion sourced from the World Bank (WB) and counterpart capital of EVN SPC. This three-core cable with the length of 57 km is considered as the longest submarine cable in Southeast Asian region and capable of transmitting 131 MVA.

The cable with many coat layers and 3 cores and 3x630mm2 is installed under ocean

Prysmian Powerlink of Italy is the main contractor in executing this project with method of concurrent placing and filling cable. This mode has advantage in reduction of damage to the cables, but causes high expense due to complex technology.

Together with the submarine cable, in preparation for connecting to the power supply from the mainland, the Phu Quoc 110kV substation and 7,6 km 110 kV two-circuit transmission line have been built. Nevertheless, in order to connect to the submarine cable and increase the capacity of power supply for Ha Tien Town, the Corporation has invested in two more network projects of 110kV and put into operation two-circuit transmission line of 110kV Kien Luong – Ha Tien and 110kV substation  Ha Tien with the capital amount of VND 128 billion since the beginning of this year.

According to the plan, the Contractor Prysmian will complete the installation of submarine cable on January 11, 2014 and the line is to be put into operation before the celebration of 2014 lunar New Year (Tet Festival), 6 months ahead of the plan.

More than 57km of submarine cable will be wired from the mainland (Ha Tien Town) to Phu Quoc Island to connect to the National Power Network

Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Industry and Trade said the submarine cable is the result of over five years in preparation from the investment capital, solutions to complexity of high voltage and suitable alignment to the selection of competent and reputable contractor.

The biggest result of the project is to decrease the price of electricity on the island, which is currently 3 times (in the places connected with electricity) and 16 times higher (placed which disconnected with electricity) than the common price. This will be an important prerequisite for progress of socio-economic development of Phu Quoc.

“The authority of Kien Giang Province and related units should have maximum support for SPC and the contractor Prysmian to complete  the project in accordance with the progress with high quality, safety and effectiveness in order to supply the National Power Network for the islanders”, Mr Hoang proposed.

Source: VnExpress