IFC provide $57 million to two wind power plants

IFC is providing $57 million to Thuan Binh Wind Power Joint Stock Company (TBW), a subsidiary of Refrigeration Electrical Engineering Corporation (REE).

This will enable the construction of two onshore wind power plants, including Phu Lac 2 in Binh Thuan province and Loi Hai 2 in Ninh Thuan province with a total capacity of 54.2MW. The plants will generate about 170 million KW hours of clean energy per year once they start operating later in 2021.

A dedicated wind power company founded in 2009, TBW developed one of the first wind power plants in Vietnam, the 24MW Phu Lac 1 plant in Binh Thuan province.

With a large pipeline of wind and solar power projects, financing package from IFC will help the company channel that renewable energy potential into operation.

The financing package from IFC includes financing mobilized by the multi-investor Managed Co-Lending Portfolio Program (MCPP), managed by IFC’s innovative syndications platform, which allows institutional partners to commit funds for a set of future IFC loans.

Nguyen Ngoc Thai Binh, REE deputy chief executive officer, said that as REE expands its footprint in renewable energy, it is looking for long-term US dollar-based financing that is not readily available in the local market.

IFC’s support will help the company implement a strategic drive to green power sector portfolio in the coming years, he emphasized.

Leveraging its global experience in wind projects, IFC will help ensure that these two projects follow best industry as well as environmental, social, and governance practices.

“The wind power sector in Vietnam is still in its nascent stage but has very large-scale potential. IFC’s engagement will demonstrate viability to investors and help mobilize the much-needed funding to help realize Vietnam’s cleaner, renewable energy potential,” said Kyle Kelhofer, IFC’s country manager for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Lao.

He added that IFC is especially committed to supporting solid local corporates such as REE to scale up their renewable energy investments, supporting the country’s transition to a lower-carbon electricity generation mix.

Driven by robust economic growth, Vietnam foresees the need for a twofold expansion of its installed power capacity by 2030 to meet increasing electricity demand.

Renewable energy capacity including rooftop solar is projected to increase by approximately 19GW to more than 36GW over the coming decade, at an estimated cost of around $20 billion, mostly expected to be developed and funded by the private sector.