Representatives of Central agencies, PetroVietnam, local authorities of Quang Binh province, and local people attended the groundbreaking ceremony.

Covering an area of 244 hectares in Vinh Son hamlet, Quang Dong commune, Quang Trach district, as part of the plan on national power development in the 2006-2010 period ratified by the Prime Minister, the Quang Trach Electricity Centre includes two coal thermo-electric plants, namely the Quang Trach 1 Thermo-Electric Power Plant and Quang Trach 2 Thermo-Electric Power Plant, with a combined capacity of 2,400 MW.

The infrastructure construction of the Quang Trach Electricity Centre includes site clearance and leveling, the construction of a coal receiving port, a breakwater, roads, electricity and water systems and other items, with a total investment of VND3.357 trillion (US$177 million). The infrastructure construction is expected to be completed in 2011 so that the Quang Trach 1 Thermo-Electric Power Plant can be built then.

The Quang Trach Electricity Centre will be constructed at a total cost of 34,738 billion VND (roughly 1.828 billion USD) with the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (Petro Vietnam) as the main investor. It is scheduled to be put into operation in 2015.

Once completed, the centre is expected to contribute to raise the percentage of thermoelectricity in the national power structure, create jobs for more than 1,000 people and promote socio-economic development of Quang Binh province, representatives of PetroVietnam affirmed.

On this occasion, PetroVietnam funded the construction of a primary school in Quang Dong commune and presented 500 lifebouy bookbags … to pupils living in the river area in the province.

Reported by Dang Ha – By N.Y