The first turbine of the Son La Hydroelectric Plant was officially put into no-load operation last month. — VNA/VNS Photo Ngoc Ha

HA NOI — The first 400MW turbine at Son La Hydroelectric Power Plant's has gone live, officially plugging into the national electricity grid two years ahead of the schedule set by the National Assembly.

Head of the plant's management board Nguyen Hong Ha said on Friday only four months after installing the first turbine in August, did Electricity of Viet Nam (EVN) put the turbine into operation.

The Son La plant and its turbine were expected to ease the country's power shortages. The next goal was completion of the remaining turbines in late 2012, said Ha.

EVN plans to install the second turbine next April and to connect the third turbine into the national grid next October.

Son La Hydroelectric Power Plant is the biggest of its kind in Southeast Asia. It was designed with a total capacity of 2,400 MW and its six turbines will each produce 400 MW.

The plant will provide over 10.2 billion kWh of electricity for the national power grid each year after the project is completed in 2015. This power will contribute to the socio-economic development of the whole country and the north-western region in particular.

Construction of the plant started five years ago in the mountainous northern Son La Province's Muong La District. Investment in the project totals more than VND42 trillion (US$2 billion).

Nguyen Tan Loc, head of EVN's Planning Department, said commercial electricity production had increased twice as fast as the GDP growth rate, but Viet Nam still lacked electricity to supply production.

Viet Nam relies heavily on hydroelectric power but lower than average rainfall this year means the country could see a power shortfall as high as 800 million-1.4 billion kWh. With more rain, the shortfall could be lower at 139 million – 400 million kWh. — VNS