Two power companies from China and Vietnam on Tuesday connected grids to transfer electricity from Chinese Yunnan Province to Vietnamese Ha Giang Province.

The electricity import was made under a contract signed in March by the Power Company No. 1 (PC1) under the Electricity of Vietnam, and the Yunnan Electric Power Group Co., Ltd. under the China Southern Power Grid.

Under the contract, the PC1 buys the Chinese company's electricity via the 110-kv transmission line with a capacity of 50-70 mw and annual output of 180-200 million kwh to serve the two northern provinces of Ha Giang and Yen Bai. The contract will expires in late December 2006. The PC1 signed its first contract with the Chinese partner in early April 2004, under which it imports electricity from China with a capacity of 40 mw and annual output of 180-200 million kwh to serve the northern province of Lao Cai.

In early December 2004, the PC1 inked a similar contract with another Chinese partner, under which the former purchase electricity from the Guangxi Electric Power Group Co. Ltd. under the China Southern Power Grid with a capacity of 25 mw and annual output of 100-130 million kwh to serve the northern province of Quang Ninh.

Source: Xinhua