Simultaneous construction of projects along the 500kV transmission line circuit 3 from Quang Trach to Pho Noi

On January 18, in Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa and Thai Binh provinces, Vietnam Electricity (EVN) and the National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT) organized the simultaneous groundbreaking ceremonies for construction of sections along the 500kV transmission line circuit 3 from Quang Trach (Quang Binh) to Pho Noi (Hung Yen).

Those projects include: 500kV Quang Trach - Quynh Luu transmission line, 500kV Quynh Luu - Thanh Hoa transmission line, 500kV Thanh Hoa substation, 500kV Nam Dinh I Thermal Power Plant - Pho Noi transmission line. Previously, at the end of October 2023, EVNNPT started the construction of the 500kV transmission line from Nam Dinh I Thermal Power Plant to Thanh Hoa.

Strong determination, great efforts

The 500kV transmission line circuit 3 from Quang Trach to Pho Noi has a total length of about 519km, going through 211 communes and wards of 43 districts and towns of 9 provinces: Quang Binh, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Hai Duong, Hung Yen. The total number of towers is 1,179. The total investment is about 22,000 billion VND.

The project plays an important role in strengthening the 500kV North - Central transmission grid capacity, contributing to ensuring electricity supply for the North at present and in the coming years. It also improves the stable operation of the national power system, contributing to increasing power transmission from power sources in the North Central region to the Northern load center.

Besides, the project also helps reduce the risk of overload for existing 500kV transmission lines to meet the N-1 criterion, especially when the North-Central transmission interface has high transmission capacity at times when the northern hydropower plants generate less electricity.

Due to the urgent and important nature of the project, the Prime Minister has directed frequently and continuously, requesting relevant ministries, sectors and local authorities to uphold their responsibilities; closely coordinate and proactively resolve related procedures, documents and work of the project according to their assigned functions and tasks in order to complete the project and put it into operation as targeted.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Construction, the Government Office, the Commission for the Management of State Capital at Enterprises, as well as other related ministries, sectors and localities have taken drastic actions to quickly carry out procedures to ensure the project's goals.

Implementing the task assigned by the Prime Minister, especially in Official Dispatch No. 1412/CD-TTg dated December 25, 2023 directing the urgent and effective implementation of solutions to ensure electricity supply in 2024 and the following years, including the requirement to accelerate the investment progress of the 500kV transmission line circuit 3 project, EVN and EVNNPT always recognize this as a key urgent project and have proactively worked with relevant ministries, sectors and localities to soon complete legal procedures to deploy the project. At the same time, maximally mobilizing all resources, working day and night without rest days... to accelerate the project implementation progress. EVNNPT has also urgently carried out capital arrangement procedures of the project and 5 commercial banks have arranged loans totaling VND 15,870 billion for 4 projects, ensuring sufficient capital to deploy the projects.

Regarding the bidding, this project has 226 main bid packages, including 93 construction bid packages. To mobilize capable contractors and manufacturers to participate in bidding packages, EVNNPT has developed and approved contractor selection plans with appropriate bid values so that all capable contractors can participate as independent contractors or contractor consortiums, ensuring compliance with state regulations on bidding. Up to now, the 500kV transmission line project from Nam Dinh I Thermal Power Plant to Thanh Hoa has completed contract signing for all bid packages. For the remaining projects, some bid packages have completed contractor selection while the remaining ones are undergoing contractor selection procedures and are expected to be completed in January 2024.

EVN and EVNNPT have directed utmost focus to deploy the project; established project steering committees at EVN and EVNNPT levels; set up 4 Executive Units and 13 Advance Teams in provinces and cities to promptly organize project construction.

With the spirit of engaging the whole political system to make efforts and fulfill the project following the Prime Minister's direction, EVN and EVNNPT's Party Committee and leaders have regularly coordinated with party committees and local authorities in provinces where transmission line routes go through in solving bottlenecks and speeding up the project.

Many challenges ahead

One of the biggest difficulties now is the site clearance compensation in Hung Yen, Hai Duong, Thai Binh and Nam Dinh provinces, where the line goes through highly populated areas with many industrial zones, containing many risks. In addition, the line routes in Ha Tinh, Nghe An and Thanh Hoa provinces go through many high and rugged mountainous terrains, posing difficult construction conditions that could affect the projects’ schedule.

To meet the project completion objective following the Prime Minister’s direction,  Vietnam Electricity and the National Power Transmission Corporation proposed to the Government to authorize provincial People’s Committees to approve policies affecting various forest areas for construction deployment; speed up appraisal and issuance of the Decree detailing some articles of the Forestry Law.

Regarding site clearance compensation, investors also proposed the Prime Minister to continue paying attention and directing provincial People’s Committees to review and update land use planning and land use plans in 2024 for project corridors’ areas.

Besides, EVN and EVNNPT also proposed provincial People’s Committees to direct relevant departments, sectors and localities to coordinate with investors in encouraging people to reach consensus according to guidelines and policies, agreeing to receive compensation and hand over site to investors in February 2024. The agencies also appeal to organizations, individuals and people living in areas where the projects go through to early hand over site and join forces with investors to accomplish the project, ensuring national energy security.

At the groundbreaking ceremony for construction of the 500kV transmission line project from Nam Dinh I Thermal Power Plant to Pho Noi in Thai Binh province, on behalf of Vietnam Electricity's leaders, Mr. Pham Hong Phuong – EVN’s Deputy General Director expressed his gratitude to the Government, the Prime Minister, ministries, People's Committees in provinces where the project go through for their timely direction and support, facilitating conditions for the project to ensure construction commencement according to regulations.

Facing a huge workload that needs utmost focus, Mr. Pham Hong Phuong – EVN’s Deputy General Director proposed the National Power Transmission Corporation’s leaders and project management boards to closely coordinate with ministries and provincial People's Committees to speed up procedures for forest use purpose change; supplement planning and land use plans; site clearance, assistance and compensation procedures. Construction contractors need to regularly station at site to organize construction, use all resources and take advantage of time including Tet holiday to accelerate work progress. Engineering and construction supervision consultants need to arrange enough manpower for construction engineering quality supervision, promptly handle issues on site to ensure work quality, safety and environmental sanitation.