HCMC – Authorities in the northern province of Son La have broken ground on a renewable energy and supporting industry complex at the Son La hydropower reservoir, highlighted by an 800-MW floating solar farm worth around VND17 trillion.
The floating solar farm is being developed by BP Son La Energy JSC across 1,139.5 hectares of water surface and 60.5 hectares of land. Once fully operational, the project is expected to add around 1.25 billion kWh of clean electricity annually to the national grid.
To ensure stable operations, the plant will use photovoltaic panel technology, distributed inverters and a battery energy storage system (BESS) with storage capacity equal to 10% of installed capacity for two hours. The project will also include a 35/500 kV transformer station and a 10-kilometer 500-kV transmission line directly connected to the national grid.
Under the planned timeline, the project will be implemented over more than three years, from late 2026 to 2030, in four phases.
The first 200-MW phase is expected to begin commercial operations in 2027, followed by the second phase in 2028, the third in the second quarter of 2029, and the final phase by the fourth quarter of 2029, bringing the entire 800 MW into operation.
With annual disbursement estimated at VND5-6 trillion, the project is expected to support local GRDP growth and contribute to the Government’s goal of achieving double-digit economic expansion.
To strengthen material quality control and environmental safety, the Son La People’s Committee has also approved an investment policy for a float and plastic products manufacturing plant in Chieng Lao Commune.
The supporting project, developed by BP Son La Floating Production JSC, will require investment of more than VND317 billion and have designed capacity of 758,000 products annually. The plant will supply specialized floating systems used to support solar panels on the reservoir surface.
Son La Province is currently Vietnam’s largest hydropower center, home to strategic plants such as Son La Hydropower Plant, Huoi Quang Hydropower Plant and Nam Chien Hydropower Plant.
