National Grid reaches Con Dao: A major milestone for the development of the Special Zone
WVR - The provision of electricity from the national grid to Con Dao holds significant importance in ensuring stable and safe electricity supply from the national grid to support the socio-economic development of the special zone, contributing to national defense and maritime sovereignty.
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| The converted ship serves the task of laying underwater cables from the mainland to Con Dao. (Source: EVN) |
On September 4, the Vietnam Electricity (EVN) successfully energized the 110 kV Con Dao substation, completing the project to supply electricity from the national grid to the Con Dao special zone.
Earlier, on September 2, EVN also successfully energized the project to supply electricity from the national grid to the Con Dao special zone. This project commemorates the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Affirming project execution capability
The successful energization of the project has ensured a safe, continuous, and stable electricity supply for the Con Dao special zone, meeting the demands for socio-economic development, national defense, and security, and improving the lives of the people. Additionally, this power source replaces local diesel power generation, reducing electricity production costs, limiting greenhouse gas emissions, and contributing to Vietnam's commitment to emission reduction and sustainable development.
Furthermore, the project affirms the capability to execute large-scale energy projects with modern technology under complex and harsh marine conditions.
The project to supply electricity from the national grid to Con Dao was approved by the Prime Minister on June 16, 2023, under Decision 708/QD-TTg. The project has a total investment of over 4,923 billion VND, with 2,526 billion VND supported by the central government budget and the remainder from EVN's own funds. EVN is the project investor, with the Project Management Board 3 representing the investor in project management.
The project includes a power line over 100 km long, with 17.5 km of overhead lines in Can Tho with 32 poles, 77.7 km of underwater cables from the mainland to the island, and 8.5 km of underground cables on the island. Additionally, the project expands the 220 kV substation in Vinh Chau Ward (Can Tho) and constructs a new 110 kV substation on Con Dao. This is the most complex island-sea power project to date, with all survey, design, and supervision stages undertaken by domestic units for the first time. Vietnamese contractors executed trench digging, cable laying, and used record-long 61 m concrete piles for the sea line. The cables are buried at a depth of up to 52 m, the deepest in Vietnam, and form the longest 110 kV underwater cable line in Southeast Asia.
Statistics from the Project Management Board (PMB) 3 show that about one-third of the construction time for some packages was interrupted by strong winds and high waves. To overcome these challenges, PMB 3 and the contractors devised numerous solutions, including taking advantage of favorable weather conditions during the day, working "three shifts, four crews" around the clock, and pre-assembling steel poles in stages to be installed at sea when weather permits.
Mr. Tran Ngoc Dung, Project Management Director of PMB 3, stated that since March 2025, hundreds of engineers and workers have been mobilized with the motto "overcome the sun, conquer the rain", "work during the day is not enough, seize the night". "Every meter of cable laid at sea is not only a technical advancement but also holds deep social significance. Therefore, despite large waves or storms, everyone is determined to complete on schedule," Mr. Dung shared.
Notably, previous underwater cable projects in Vietnam, especially the laying of underwater cables, were carried out by foreign contractors. Through this project, Vietnamese contractors, notably PC1 Group Joint Stock Company, have affirmed their construction capabilities and mastery of new technology.
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| National grid electricity project for Con Dao. (Source: VGP) |
Realizing the national energy infrastructure development strategy
With its operation, the project will supply electricity to Con Dao with a total capacity of about 29 MW this year, over 55 MW in 2026, and 90 MW by 2035. Previously, all 16 islands of Con Dao, with over 13,000 residents, relied on 9 diesel generators with a total capacity of nearly 13 MW. These generators had to run 17-18 hours a day, constantly overloaded.
The supply of electricity from the national grid to Con Dao is a major milestone for the special zone, signaling daily improvements in the lives of island residents and meeting the future tourism development needs of Con Dao. In the first six months of 2025, Con Dao welcomed approximately 396,360 visitors, achieving 64.76% of the annual plan and matching 100% of the same period in 2024.
The government's direction for the development of the Con Dao special zone in the coming time is to build Con Dao into a special zone for national defense and security, developing the marine economy with a focus on spiritual and ecological tourism. During a working session with Ba Ria - Vung Tau province (former) on May 3, 2025, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed Con Dao's great potential and pointed out core issues for the future development of the special zone, emphasizing the need for Con Dao to develop brightly, green, clean, and beautifully, on an international scale.
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| The GIS substation on the island during its final stages of completion, July 2025. (Source: EVN) |
These directions are also the long-standing aspirations of the local government and residents of this special zone. Connecting to the national grid also means that the most essential technical infrastructure has truly "taken a step ahead". It can be said that this is the foundational factor for the overall transformation in all aspects and fields, allowing Con Dao to confidently embrace integration and development in the very near future.
Deputy Chairman of the Con Dao Special Zone People's Committee, Nguyen Van Manh, shared: "Using the national grid will boost investment and development in service sectors; electricity prices will be lower than they are now, and most importantly, the power supply will be stable, especially during peak tourist seasons".
It can be affirmed that the national grid carries many expectations for economic, tourism, and service development for the Con Dao special zone. This is a significant turning point in realizing the national energy infrastructure development strategy, demonstrating the determination of the government, the electricity sector, and the project participants in caring for and developing infrastructure for the maritime and border-island regions of the country.
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| The national grid brings expectations for rapid growth in tourism and services for the Con Dao special zone. (Source: EVN) |
