Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai on November 24 ordered theconstruction of Trung Son hydro power plant in the northern provinceof Thanh Hoa to get under way.

The project, the firsthydro power plant in Vietnam funded by the World Bank, will not onlysupply power, but is also expected to prevent flooding and droughts,Deputy PM Hai said.

The power plant will benefit theenvironment and create better living conditions for local people, hesaid, expressing his hope that the project, with the assistance of WBexperts, will meet the strictest environmental and safety standards andensure social security.

The project has a total investment of 410.7 million USD, to which the WB provides a 330 million USD loan.

Accordingto WB Vietnam Director, Victoria Kwakwa, the medium-sizedplant, is expected to meet environmental and social requirements andbring practical benefits to Vietnamese people.

The TrungSon hydro power plant will supply low-cost, clean and sustainableelectricity, with an annual output of over 1 billion kWh while helpingcontrol flooding in the central region by a reservoir. The plant willcontribute to Vietnam’s climate change agenda by reducing CO2emissions by 1 million tonnes per year.

The plant isexpected to complete the river dam in the fourth quarter of 2013, fillthe reservoir in October, 2016, generate power from the first turbine inthe fourth quarter of 2016 and complete the entire project in 2017.-VNA