HANOI, July 17. /TASS/. Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc has discussed strengthening cooperation in the fields of hydropower and renewable energy with RusHydro Deputy General Director Sergey Machekhin, the Vietnamese government’s information portal reported.

During the meeting, Pham Gia Tuc stated that Vietnam aims to accelerate the development of renewable energy while placing great emphasis on modernizing existing energy infrastructure, the report said. In particular, this involves upgrading hydroelectric power plants built with the support of the former Soviet Union and, subsequently, Russia. According to the official, these facilities "are not only important energy assets but also symbols of the traditional friendship and long-standing cooperation between Vietnam and Russia."

Pham Gia Tuc urged relevant agencies to "cooperate closely" with RusHydro to "identify practical cooperation projects, including technological modernization and the improvement of plant operations and management, as well as to take measures to enhance the long-term safety, efficiency, and reliability of hydroelectric facilities."

In turn, Machekhin described the energy sector as a "key pillar of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia." RusHydro is ready to share technologies and expertise regarding the operation, maintenance, and modernization of hydroelectric power plants with the Vietnamese side, he said, adding that the company is also interested in cooperating with Vietnam on energy conservation, which is particularly important given the increasing share of renewable energy in Vietnam’s energy mix.

Rushydro is the largest Russian energy company by installed capacity, operating more than 600 power generation assets. The total installed capacity of the company’s power plants stands at 38.7 GW.