Yen Bai Province ready to cooperate with EVN on the 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen Transmission Line Project

On December 12^th, in Yen Bai province, Mr. Pham Hong Phuong – EVN’s Vice President met with Mr. Ngo Hanh Phuc - Yen Bai Provincial People's Committee Vice Chairman regarding preparations for implementing the 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen transmission line project in the province.

Speaking at the meeting, EVN Vice President – Mr. Pham Hong Phuong stated that, building on the momentum and lessons learned from the successful implementation of the 500kV circuit-3 Quang Trach - Pho Noi transmission line, the State Steering Committee for national important programs, projects in the energy sectors has directed acceleration of the 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen transmission line project. Accordingly, the project is expected to commence before April 30^th 2025, and be completed within 6 months to celebrate the Party Congress at all levels

The scope of the 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen transmission line project is a double circuit, approximately 228.92 km long; of which, the section passing through Yen Bai province is 90.06 km, making it the province with the longest transmission line section.

Deputy Director of Power Project Management Board 1 (EVNPMB1) Mr. Do Quang Khai reported in detail that the Prime Minister had approved the investment policy while simultaneously approving the investor for the 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen transmission line project in Decision No. 1274/QD-TTg dated October 26^th 2024. The project section through Yen Bai province includes 173 tower locations, total permanent land acquisition of 35.67 hectares, and an estimated 75 households requiring resettlement.

The section through Luc Yen District spans 39.5 km, encompassing 82 tower foundation locations and requiring the permanent acquisition of 18.37 hectares of land. It passes through 10 communes, including An Lac, To Mau, Minh Chuan, Khai Trung, Lam Thuong, Mai Son, Minh Xuan, Lieu Do, Vinh Lac, and Minh Tien. The number of households affected by the safety corridor and requiring resettlement is estimated to be 35.

The section through Yen Binh district is 50.56 km long, comprising 91 tower foundation locations requiring permanent land acquisition of 17.3 hectares, passing through 13 communes and towns including Xuan Long, Ngoc Chan, Cam Nhan, My Gia, Xuan Lai, Yen Thanh, Phuc An, Vu Linh, Bach Ha, Vinh Kien, Han Da, Dai Minh, and Thac Ba Town. The number of households affected by the safety corridor requiring resettlement is 40.

At the meeting, EVN/EVNPMB1 provided detailed information about the project's land use requirements, forest land use conversion, and project land use.

To ensure smooth project implementation meeting the Government's schedule, EVN has made specific recommendations to Yen Bai Provincial People's Committee regarding directing departments, agencies, and People's Committees of Luc Yen and Yen Binh districts to coordinate and support implementation of related work and provide written agreement for the project's optical repeater station location before December 14^th 2024.

Additionally, during project design and implementation, no other construction projects should be approved within the 500kV power grid corridor of the project. In cases where power tower positions must be adjusted or fine-tuned, EVN requested the Provincial People's Committee to assign the lead agency to flexibly shorten the time for local agreement on sections requiring adjustment/fine-tuning right at the site.

Currently, EVN is directing EVNPMB1 and consulting units to urgently complete the project design and design of land occupation areas for power tower foundations. EVN recommended that Luc Yen and Yen Binh districts and communes establish steering committees and assign tasks to land officials and village heads where the project passes through to coordinate with EVN/EVNPMB1 in organizing community meetings to announce the project implementation policy, decisions, and preliminary compensation and site clearance policies.

EVN recommended establishing dedicated compensation, site clearance, and resettlement teams for the project before December 16^th 2024. Districts and communes where the transmission line passes through are requested to coordinate with Power Project Management Board 1 to inspect households with houses under the 500kV transmission line corridor (estimated 75 households) to ensure corridor clearance for wire-pulling work from early May 2025 as well as complete corridor handover before September 30^th, 2025 to meet energization and safe operation requirements.

EVN hopes the Yen Bai Provincial People's Committee will direct departments and agencies to support various aspects of the compensation, site clearance, and resettlement process such as: approving cadastral maps, construction, appraisal and approval of land prices…

At the working session, representatives of Yen Bai province's departments, agencies, and localities provided specific reports and opinions to address difficulties and organize timely implementation of project work to ensure the urgent schedule.

Yen Bai Provincial People's Committee Vice Chairman – Mr. Ngo Hanh Phuc expressed strong unity in coordinating smoothly with EVN to successfully implement the 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen transmission line project in Yen Bai province, marking an achievement to celebrate the Party Congress at all levels.

The Provincial People's Committee Vice Chairman emphasized this is a key project passing through the province. Joint implementation of the project is a political task. Departments, agencies, and localities must take initiative and decisively implement according to the project schedule.

On the Province's side, the Department of Industry and Trade is assigned as the standing agency and focal point for information compilation during project implementation. Additionally, a project schedule framework needs to be developed, detailed by day for monitoring and reporting to the Province on implementation progress.

The Provincial People's Committee leadership also provided specific directions to departments, agencies, and localities to implement work effectively. In particular, Yen Binh and Luc Yen districts need to establish working groups/steering committees to ensure responsibility for assigned tasks; coordinate with and support the project investor.

Provincial leadership also required localities to focus on good communication work so that people affected by site clearance and resettlement understand and agree to implement the project.