A majority of National Assemblydeputies approved the investment plan for the 32.5 trillion VND (1.8billion USD) Lai Chau Hydro-electric Power Plant project on Nov. 7.

The plant will occupy more than 4,630ha over nine communes of Lai Chauprovince, of which 3,960ha will be taken up by the reservoir and theother 670ha, for the project main area.

Approximately 1,330 households in Muong Te district, Lai Chau province,will have to relocate for the project, according to a Governmentreport.

The project would provide a large amount of electricity for the nationduring the dry season, said Minister of Industry and Trade Vu HuyHoang.

Hoang said that the project would take nine years to complete;electricity would not be provided by the plant until the beginning of2016.

The deputies suggested that efficient resettlement be made a bigpriority of the project and look to recent projects in neighbouring SonLa and Hoa Binh provinces to find the best resettlement solutions.

Deputies also agreed to build the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Plant, whichis said to be a strategic step towards developing one of the mosteffective energy sources of the world. Several deputies, however,expressed concern over the safety of the project.

“It requires a long process of building up the awareness from centralto local levels. Therefore, we need to well prepare for theinfrastructure and the legal frames,” said Thao from Kien Giang.

Hoang Ngoc Thai from Ninh Thuan province suggested that the Governmentshould establish a council with the best experts across the country tocome up with the best strategies to ensure safety and properdevelopment of the project./.