Russian nuclear giant targets Vietnam for first foreign wind power foray
Rosatom's NovaWind unit signs deal for 128MW project in Asian nation as domestic sector feels squeeze of western exodus after Ukraine invasion
The wind power arm of Russian nuclear giant Rosatom signed a deal over its first international project, a 128MW development in Vietnam.
NovaWind and Vietnamese partner An Xuan Energy said a cooperation agreement could lead to the construction of the wind farm in the northwestern Son La province.
Rosatom set up NovaWind in 2017 as its green energy unit and the company has since built up a 1.7GW operating and development portfolio, including projects won in Russian wind power auctions held over the last five years.
NovaWind CEO Grigoriy Nazarov said: “We have gained extensive expertise as a wind power project developer in Russia and are ready to deploy our competencies on the international scale. Rosatom is already implementing a number of projects in Vietnam in the field of energy and science, and now these areas of cooperation are expanding.”
NovaWind in 2017 entered a joint venture with Dutch technology supplier Lagerwey to supply its projects from a turbine plant in Volgodonsk.
The period since the invasion of Ukraine has seen an upheaval in the fledgling Russian wind power sector, which had successfully attracted players such as turbine OEM Vestas and western utility giants Fortum and Enel into the country, only to see them either beat a hasty retreat or freeze their plans.
Denmark’s Vestas made significant investments in production in Russia to serve a growing pipeline of projects, but in April confirmed it would conduct an “orderly withdrawal” from the country.
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