Construction of Duyen Hai 3 thermoelectric power plant started in the Mekong Delta province of Tra Vinh on December 8.

Financed by Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), Duyen Hai 3 is one of the Government’s key projects in Electricity Plan VII that will begin operation in the 2015-2016 period.

Speaking at the ceremony to mark the start of construction, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai affirmed that the decision to build Duyen Hai Electricity Centre in Tra Vinh demonstrates the Government’s attention to economic development in the Mekong Delta region.

Duyen Hai Electricity Center, which consists of three power plants, will stimulate the region’s economic development, generate local jobs and contribute substantially to the local annual budget, while creating a premise for investment to enter regional localities, he said.

The Deputy PM urged provincial authorities to closely coordinate with the investors and contractors to ensure the project’s progress.

Covering 879 hectares, the 1,244 megawatt power plant is one of three Duyen Hai Electricity Centre facilities, which have a total capacity of 4,400 megawatts.

The twin-turbine plant, which has a total investment of more than VND28 trillion ($1.35 billion), is expected to generate 7.8 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year when it becomes operational in the next four years.