HÀ NỘI — Construction of the US$1.2 billion An Khánh - Bắc Giang Thermal Power Plant started on Wednesday in the northern province of Bắc Ninh, with the facility expected to help the region handle a sharp rise in electricity demand.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Trần Hồng Kỳ, general director of the project’s developer An Khánh Bắc Giang Thermal Power Joint Stock Company, said that the project has a total investment of nearly VNĐ30 trillion ($1.15 billion) and a capacity of 650MW.

The plant is expected to be completed and commence commercial power generation in June 2029. Once operational, it is projected to supply an average of approximately 3.9 billion kWh of electricity annually to the northern and national power grids, helping to meet rising load demands and enhance power supply capacity.

Electricity demand in the northern region, and especially in Bắc Ninh, is projected to rise sharply in 2026. At peak times, the national power system's peak load is expected to exceed 52,000MW, with the northern region alone accounting for nearly 25,000MW.

The An Khánh - Bắc Giang Thermal Power Plant project is being implemented as Bắc Ninh Province accelerates its development across the industrial, urban, logistics and high-tech sectors.

Alongside the need to upgrade transport, industrial zones and urban infrastructure, ensuring a stable power supply is a critical factor for the province to continue attracting large-scale investment projects. — BIZHUB/VNS