Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade has proposed to add 2,428 megawatts of solar power capacity in the national power plan.
This latest proposal for Power Development Plan 8 is yet to be endorsed by the government. The Ministry of Industry and Trade had submitted the Power Development Plan 8 to the Prime Minister’s office in March last year.
It has a threshold of 8,736 megawatts in solar power capacity that the ministry had suggested in its earlier draft.
According to the ministry, "an increase of 28 percent in solar power capacity was needed to avoid possible legal disputes with investors as the projects with the additional 2,428 megawatts capacity have either been finished or approved," a local report mentioned.
The energy plan needs several amendments including Vietnam's commitment during COP to bring net carbon emission to zero by 2050.
Under the plan, the government plans to "increase Vietnam's electricity load by 9.84 percent from 2021 to 2025, and 8.88 percent from 2026 to 2030," as per local reports.
Meanwhile, the 10-year-plan states that thermal power will remain the largest source of energy for Vietnam by 2030. It will be followed by hydropower and liquefied natural gas power.
