The People’s Committee of the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh has greenlit its first offshore wind project - Quang Ninh 4 Wind Power Plant, in Co To special zone, which aims at boosting clean energy supply and strengthening energy security in the northern region.

This serves as a pioneering initiative in tapping the locality’s abundant renewable energy potential.

Covering an area of 11.95 ha of land and water surface, the project is expected to have a designed capacity of 50 MW and will be implemented in nearshore waters of the Co To special zone. Its key components include wind turbines, a substation, a 110kV transmission line, and related auxiliary facilities.

Previously, the Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee has approved in principle this project.

Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Quan Minh Cuong stressed that Quang Ninh has outstanding advantages with total wind power potential of nearly 16,000 MW, including about 13,000 MW from offshore wind power alone.

To fully capitalise on these advantages, the provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board has instructed relevant agencies to accelerate the implementation of the Quang Ninh 4 Wind Power Plant project, and continue thorough surveys of potential areas to propose the inclusion of additional power sources in the National Power Development Plan VIII (DPP8) to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, while ensuring alignment with marine aquaculture planning and inland waterway transport routes.

The project is expected to help develop primary energy sources in a more self-reliant and sustainable direction, while supplying additional power to the northern power grid. It will also contribute to providing clean energy, supporting Vietnam’s voluntary commitments to greenhouse gas emission reductions, and easing the financial burden on the power sector.

Previously, in late April, Quang Ninh province broke ground on the Quang Ninh 1 Wind Power Plant project with a capacity of 200 MW and total investment of nearly 7.3 trillion VND (over 277 million USD) in Hoanh Bo ward. The project is among the first wind power projects in northern Vietnam, opening a new chapter in exploiting the region’s wind resources.

The development of wind energy is considered an important step in the transition from a “brown” to a “green” economy, contributing to the implementation of the Politburo’s Resolution No. 70-NQ/TW on ensuring national energy security through 2030, with a vision to 2045, as well as creating a new development momentum for Quang Ninh in the long term./.