HCMCity (VNA) – The island commune of Hon Nghe in Kien Luong district,the southern province of Kien Giang, has been connected with the national grid,a move that is hoped to spur local economic growth.

The project to connect Hon Nghe with thenational grid was carried out at a cost of over 140 billion VND (6.2 millionUSD) by Kien Giang Power Company, an affiliate of the Electricity of VietnamGroup’s Southern Power Corporation (EVN SPC).

It built 16.37km of overhead sea-crossing 22kV line, 9.94km of three-phaseline, eight transformer stations, along with other facilities to supplyelectricity to the 2,229 islanders.

The overhead sea-crossing line to Hon Nghe isthe second longest of its kind in Vietnam after the one which links Lai Son,another island commune in Kien Giang, with the national grid.

Expressing joy at the connection, Nguyen MyNgoc, who owns a seafood restaurant in Bai Nam hamlet of Hon Nghe, saidelectricity from the national grid will greatly help her business.

Nguyen Huu Quy, a hotel owner in Bai Nam, saidwhen he learnt that his island commune was going to be connected with thenational grid, he built four more rooms in the hotel as he believes that betterelectricity access will attract more tourists.

Many other islanders also expect a stable powersupply will help them develop ship building and repairing, fishing toolproduction, fisheries logistics services, aquaculture and tourism.

In the past, the main source of electricitythere was diesel generators which had low capacity, 50kW each, and often broke.

EVN SPC said it will continue working to bringpower from the mainland to other island communes of Kien Giang, including TienHai and Hon Thom, from now to 2018.

Pham Ngoc Le, Deputy General Director of EVNSPC, said the projects to supply island communes of Ha Tien township and KienHai and Kien Luong districts of Kien Giang with electricity aims to support thesea-based economy and turn islands into solid bases for the protection ofnational sovereignty.

It also helps protect the environment, attractinvestment and drives economic growth, he added.

The EVN SPC marked the official inauguration of theelectricity supply projects to the communes at a ceremony on January 20.

 According tothe EVN SPC, the three projects had a combined investment of 652 billion VND(28.68 million USD), sourced from the Government’s Programme 2081 on powersupply for rural, mountainous areas and islands from 2013-2020.-VNA