Illustrative photo (Photo: VNA)Singapore (VNA) – Within the framework of Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW),Singapore’s Energy Market Authority (EMA) on October 27 granted conditional approval toSembcorp Utilities Pte Ltd (SCU) – a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sembcorp Industries(Sembcorp) to import wind power fromVietnam.
SCU is a partner ofPetrovietnam Technical Services Corporation (PTSC) in an investment anddevelopment cooperation project to build an offshore wind power farm in Ba Ria -Vung Tau province of Vietnam, to export electricity to Singapore.
The project is expected tohave a capacity of about 2.3 GW, with an energy storage battery system toexport about 1.2 GW to Singapore through a 1,000km-long high-voltage submarinecable line. The project motivates to help Singapore soon achieve its goal ofimporting 4 GW of clean electricity by 2035 and carbon neutrality by the middleof the 21st century.
Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung assessed Singapore’sgranting of conditional approval marked a very notable milestone in the energy cooperationrelationship between Vietnam and Singapore, especially when they arecelebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomaticrelations and the 10th anniversary of their Strategic Partnership.
Singaporean Minister forManpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng said thatSingapore and Vietnam have a close relationship and share a common goal ofachieving net zero emissions by 2050.
In October 2022, the twocountries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on energy cooperation, affirmingtheir commitment to support and facilitate clean energy transition anddecarbonisation efforts in the region, including cross-border electricitytrading.
Thanking the Vietnamese Governmentfor supporting the cooperation between Sembcorp and PTSC in cross-border electricity tradingactivities, the Singaporean official said it is only the first step in thecooperation between the two countries which need to continue to work closely togetherto realise the project.
He said the an approximately1,000 km power transmission line between the two countries could be "thelongest distance ever".
General Director of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group Le Manh Hung emphasised that PTSC is currentlyPetrovietnam's pioneer company in the field of offshore wind power.
He pledgedto provide all necessary support for PTSC to develop and maintain itspioneering position in this field. He expressed his belief that PTSC andSembcorp can combine the strengths of both sides to bring about synergisticeffects./.
