Hanoi (VNA) – DeputyPrime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung hosted a reception in Hanoi on December 20 for Regional Director of the World Bank (WB)'sInfrastructure Department in the East Asia and Pacific Region RanjitLamech and WB Country Director in Vietnam Ousmane Dion.

The Deputy PM thanked them for providing active andimportant support for Vietnam via policy consultation, official developmentassistance, and technical support in infrastructure, especially in energy overthe past years.

Since 1995, the WB has assisted the Vietnamese power sectorin 12 projects on power grid development in rural areas, electricitytransmission and distribution with the total loan of nearly 3.92 billion USD,he said.

According to him, Vietnam needs to supply nearly 8,000MW of electricityon average each year, which requires an annual capital of 9-10 billion USD.

Dung wished that the WB would continue helping Vietnam seekcapital, offer technical consultation and build a policy mechanism so that thecountry could ensure sufficient and sustainable power supply for socio-economicdevelopment.

He affirmed that Vietnam will adjust planning to ensure the safeoperation of power system, determine key projects, fine-tune laws and buildspecial mechanisms in the field.

The guests expressed their impression on Vietnam’s successin energy field over the past years, especially in renewable energydevelopment.

They suggested that Vietnam should deal with difficulties inmajor power projects as well as power transmission overload as soon aspossible./.