Authorities in central Quang Binh province have conducted research on asolar-power project to make sure it is cost effective in all areas thatit reaches.

If it is not effective in all villages, authorites said they would switch to normal network power to link them up.

In2012, Quang Binh started a 14 million USD project to supply solar powerto remote villages previously relying on generators, kerosene orcandles to produce light.

The Korean Government donated 12million of the cost through an Official Development Assistance (ODA)agreement. Vietnam provided the remainder.

The solar project isthe biggest of its kind so far in Vietnam, Vo Quang Minh, head of theproject management board told Nong Thon Ngay Nay (Countryside Today)newspaper.

The project covers eight communes in four districts and will eventually supply nearly 1,300 households and 78 offices.

Minh said that some areas would have electricity by the end of the year.

LastOctober, Chairman of the Quang Binh People's Committee, Nguyen HuuHoai, also approved another project to supply network power to severalremote villages.

It is being backed by theprovincial Department of Industry and Trade with 368 billion VND (17.5million USD) from the State budget.

The project, to hook-up TanTrach and Thuong Trach communes in Bo Trach District to the nationalgrid, is being carried out after authorities realised that solar powerwould not be best for most of the villages.

Work is expected to be completed next year.

A local official said all projects would be completed around the same time.

PhanVan Thuong, Director of the Quang Binh Department of Industry andTrade, said that solar energy could be only used in homes and not tomanufacture goods.-VNA