A 500 MW solar power project has secured approval of local authorities in Gia Lai province of Vietnam, according to local media reports, and will be worth VND 9.5 trillion ($414 million).
This capacity is planned to be distributed as a floating solar facility covering the 533 hectare water surface of Ia Ly hydropower reservoir; the remaining will be established as a ground mounted facility covering 5 hectare space in Ia Ly commune in Gia Lai's Chu Pah district. It will be designed to operate for 50 years.
Dividing the project capacity to be located on 2 different surfaces is aimed at avoiding any impacts on farming, tourism activities as well as local waterway traffic system.
The Asia News Network report said work on the project to be located on Vietnam's border with Cambodia is expected to commence Q2/2022 and is expected to be completed in Q4/2023.
It claims the Gia Lai province has an operational solar power capacity of 84 MW in the form of 2 projects and has 2 more projects approved with 74 MW combined capacity. An additional 654 MW capacity is under planning.
"The provincial People's Committee has proposed adding 10 other solar power projects with a total capacity of 1,125MWp to the planning. Meanwhile, it has allowed approved surveys for 25 projects with an estimated capacity of 4,563 MW," added the report.
In October 2019, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a $37 million package for what was back then the largest such installation in Southeast Asia with 47.5 MW capacity (see ADB Backs Vietnam Floating Solar Plant With $37Mn Loan).
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