Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) has begun construction of the Ban Chat and Huoi Quang hydroelectric power plants in the province of Lai Chau, Vietnam.
The US$406M Ban Chat has a designed capacity of 220MW and the US$613M Huoi Quang plant should produce 520MW.
Ban Chat is due to begin operation by 2010, where as Huoi Quang should start generating electricity by 2011.
Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended the plants’ opening ceremony, along with representatives from the Ministry of Construction, local authorities and almost 4000 residents of Than Uyen and Muong La districts, where the projects are located.