In the autumn of 2023, the entire construction site of the Phu My solar power project in Binh Dinh province, with a sandy beach covering approximately 325 hectares, is covered by endless rows of solar panels, creating a magnificent scene.
The Phu My solar power plant is the second largest power generation project in Vietnam and the largest in the Central region, with a total capacity of 330 MW, including over 750,000 installed solar panels. The project’s main contractor is PowerChina Jiangxi Electric Power Engineering Co., Ltd (referred to as Jiangxi Institute), a subsidiary of China Power Construction Corporation (Powerchina).
It is known that the Jiangxi Electric Power Design Institute was established in 1958, serving as the main force in the development of the energy industry in Jiangxi province and a pioneer in the implementation of the “dual carbon” goal.
In 2020, the institute took a bold step by signing a successful contract for the Phu My solar power project with a capacity of 330 MW in Vietnam, at a time when the epidemic situation was most tense.
Mr. Nguyen Hoai Dong, Director of the Phu My solar power plant, said that since the project was put into operation, it has helped reduce the pressure of electricity consumption in the Central region, bringing economic benefits and contributing to Vietnam’s carbon neutral target.
The Phu My solar power plant is a key project of BCG Vietnam Group. Emphasizing the importance of the project, Mr. Pham Minh Tuan, Deputy Chairman of BCG Group, said: “This is a project with many challenges. The project has been on the market for many years, but the initial investor failed to exploit it. When we took over the project in 2020, we realized its potential and collaborated with partners, investment funds, and the general contractor, Jiangxi Electric Power Design Institute, to implement the project. The success of the project has demonstrated our investment and project management capacity and has made us one of the leading energy companies in Vietnam.”
“During the cooperation in the implementation of the Phu My solar power project, we have worked with Jiangxi Institute to solve difficulties, overcome challenges, support each other, and cooperate closely. During the epidemic, we could clearly see the great efforts of the Institute in fulfilling its commitments to us. Through this cooperation, Jiangxi Institute has become one of our reliable partners, and we have established a strategic cooperation relationship,” explained Mr. Pham Minh Tuan.
During the construction process, Jiangxi Institute set a record by installing 18 MW of capacity in one day. The project was successfully connected to the grid on schedule and was highly evaluated by the investor in terms of quality and progress.
“Although the project has ended, Jiangxi Institute has left behind highly skilled technical employees to serve the project in the long term, which makes us feel very reassured,” said Mr. Nguyen Hoai Dong.
In November 2021, Jiangxi Institute completed the construction of the high-quality Phu My solar power plant. But what makes the investor and the local people even more satisfied is that through the project, the institute has trained a team of skilled workers for the locality, thereby promoting exchanges between the two nations. Nguyen Tanh, an employee recruited by Jiangxi Institute, is an example.
Nguyen Tanh, 27 years old, graduated from Qui Nhon University in 2018, majoring in English, and worked as a temporary English teacher at a secondary school in Phu My district.
At that time, Tanh’s family was facing many financial difficulties. His father and older brother worked at factories in Ho Chi Minh City, while his mother stayed at home to take care of his grandmother. Nguyen Tanh wanted to do something more challenging. In 2020, Jiangxi Institute recruited staff locally, and he submitted an application and successfully got a job as an interpreter.
“This job has changed my life, and the income is good. The financial situation of my family has improved a lot. Last year, we built a new house, and I will get married at the end of the year. In the future, I want to become a skilled technical manager,” Nguyen Tanh confidently said.
In addition, the Phu My solar power project has contributed to the development of the local area. During the peak period, the project employed up to 3,000 workers at the same time. Some technical staff and the majority of manual workers were given priority in hiring, providing many job opportunities for local people.
