Lighting up Ly Son Island District

19/08/2013

The Ly Son Island District has an area of nearly 10 sq.km with approximately 21,000 residents. However, it has only one oil running thermal power plant.

When talking with Vietnam Economic News’ reporter after having received the energy saving lights from the Ho Chi Minh City Energy Conservation Center (ECC HCMC), Bui Thi Van from An Vinh Commune, Ly Son Island District, Quang Ngai Province said “I am very glad, when the lights are out, my children always had to study under kerosene lamps, now they can study under electric lights.”

The gladness of a local man when receiving electric lights

To be moved by the kerosene lamps

The Ly Son Island District has an area of nearly 10 sq.km with approximately 21,000 residents. However, it has only one oil running thermal power plant. Vice Chairman of Ly Son District People’s Committee Nguyen Hoang Linh said the island is so thirsty for electricity. Electricity generated from the thermal power plant is only enough for the local people for six hours a day (from 5PM to 11 PM) with price twice higher compared with that in the mainland. In the remaining time of the day, local residents have to use batteries, diesel-fuelled generators or kerosene lamps to light up.

Electricity shortage makes local people more cheerful every time the lights are on. Despite twice higher electricity price, many families turn on their electric bulbs from 5PM when it is still light. Vo Xuan Thang, 47 years old in An Hai Commune frankly said as the power is on for only a few hours and off for almost all day long, people are delighted to turn on the lights and leave them there, that’s it!

A ceremony to give solar energy lamps to fishermen in Ly Son Island

Lighting up Ly Son Island

With an expectation to share difficulties and household electricity shortage with the local people in Ly Son Island District, ECC HCMC recently gave 70 sets of energy saving lights, including 20 solar energy lights and 50 Led lights for 70 households in An Hai and An Vinh communes. Director of ECC HCMC Huynh Kim Tuoc honestly said he hoped this action would make a small contribution to local residents of the Ly Son Island District which is remembered as the homeland of Hoang Sa heroic flotilla.

Tuoc said while led lights are already popular, solar energy lights are new but suitable with living conditions of the local people. To use this new kind of light, each household is equipped with a solar panel installed on top of their roofs. Electricity then will be charged into each bulb for lighting. If the sun shines frequently, the solar energy lamps could light from two to three days. They are very save to use, could be placed in the house or taken with the users.

After receiving the solar energy lights from ECC HCMC, the local people really got excited and glad. ECC HCMC's technical staff had to walk to and fro to instruct them how to use the products. Although this is only a small present from ECC HCMC, it means a lot to the local people, especially it helped solve the lighting issue for the islanders, Linh stressed.

From now on, when the night falls, the small island district will be brighter and the local children will no longer have to learn their lessons under the light of kerosene lamps but with the new solar energy lamps instead. From that source of light, the local people are dreaming of better things as in the near future, the project on connecting Ly Son Island offshore Quang Ngai Central Province with the national power network by submarine power cables will be implemented. By then, the electricity will cover all over the island for 24 hours a day and the story of “being thirsty for light” will belong to the distant past.

Huynh Kim Tuoc said as for island districts, the submarine power cables, the solar and wind power energy are possible solutions to solve the electricity shortage issue. Regarding those islands that are near the mainland, running the submarine power cables is the best solution, meanwhile for further ones, generating electricity by solar energy is the optimal solution. However, with solar energy projects at household scale or small stations, related agencies should take long term measures for example, sending maintenance workers or instructors for the most efficient use of the products.

By Lê My

Lighting up Ly Son Island District

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National Energy Efficiency Programme - Ministry of Industry and Trade