Hanoi – Vietnam’s largest solar power plant cluster was officially put into operation in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak on Saturday. The Srepok 1-Quang Minh solar power plant cluster covers approximately 12 hectares in Ea Wer Commune, Buon Don District, Dak Lak.

Costing VND3.3 trillion (US$141.9 million), the facility is designed with the capacity of 100 megawatt peak (MGp). The cluster consists of more than 150,000 solar panels, each of which has the capacity of 330 watts.

The construction took 14 months, about two and a half months ahead of schedule. This is the first solar energy project in Dak Lak and is Vietnam’s largest solar power plant cluster.

During the inauguration, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh praised the efforts and hard work of all engineers, workers, and the developer for the early completion of the cluster.

“This is the first time that a modern and large-scale project has been finished by a team of all Vietnamese personnel,” Binh stated. He asked the developer to strictly follow procedures and protocols when operating the cluster, as well as regulations on environmental protection.

Dak Lak Province is a key economic zone and has a strategic location in terms of economic development and defense and security in the Central Highlands, the deputy premier continued, adding that the locality also has great potential for solar energy with an average solar radiation of 1,900 kilowatt-hours per cubic meter per year.

“Aside from the Srepok 1-Quang Minh cluster, multiple other projects have been imitated, all of which are expected to contribute significantly to local development,” he said.

Local authorities should support and provide favorable conditions for investors to establish more solar power projects in the future, thus effectively exploiting natural advantages, as well as creating more jobs for residents.

“Each MGp of solar energy can generate a profit of VND1 billion [$43,000], according to experts,” the official elaborated. (Tuoitrenews)