With the strong development of renewable energy sources, the pressure to transmit full capacity from power plants in the South Central and Central Highlands regions to the power grid, ensuring electricity supply for loads in the region in particular and the whole country in general is a major challenge. As of the end of 2023, the total renewable energy capacity connected to the transmission grid of Power Transmission Company 3 (PTC3) is 5,861MW, including 23 wind power plants with a total capacity of 2,308MW and 36 solar power plants with a total capacity of about 3,553MW.
If the renewable energy sources in the distribution grid are included, the total capacity connected to the transmission grid of PTC3 and the distribution grid of 9 power companies in the South Central and Central Highlands regions will reach about 10,000MW, accounting for more than 50% of the power sources. Currently, the unit is managing and operating 5,769 km of 220kV – 500kV transmission lines, 18 220kV remote-controlled substations without personnel, 6 500kV substations with a total capacity of 15,548MVA and 994 laborers.
Electricity workers in Binh Thuan province performing maintenance work at a substation
According to Mr. Phan Dinh Minh, Director of Binh Thuan Power Transmission, the 500kV Vinh Tan – Trung Nam transmission line (double circuit) passes through high mountains and near the coast, areas of salt fields, and with the nature of hot and windy climate, the impact of strong wind makes the surface of the insulator string of the transmission line easily contaminated with salt, dirt, leading to many potential risks of power grid incidents and other risks. Especially during the period from September 2023 to April 2024, the Northeast monsoon wind blows from the sea to the mainland, and the strongest period is forecasted to be from the end of January 2024 to the beginning of February 2024.
Therefore, in addition to regular inspections day and night, Binh Thuan Power Transmission has particularly focused on regularly strengthening technical checks and surprise checks to assess and detect any abnormalities for timely handling, in order to prevent power grid incidents. However, the power cut for line construction has not been implemented due to the pressure of ensuring the stable power evacuation of the Van Phong 1 BOT Thermal Power Plant and renewable energy plants in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces.
“To ensure the safe operation of the transmission line, the unit has continued to strengthen the implementation of regular checks using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for timely monitoring and evaluation. With a large volume of inspection and maintenance, coupled with limited power cut registration time, Binh Thuan Power Transmission has mobilized the participation of all 3 Binh Thuan Power Transmission teams, including Phan Thiet, Bac Binh, Tanh Linh, and the 500kV Vinh Tan substation with a total of 70 people, to perform the work with detailed and specific plans for each construction group. Throughout the construction process, safety work is always the top priority, all work groups are briefed on safety before participating in the work, adequate preparation, and the sequence of operations on the grid is carried out correctly according to the procedures and regulations,” Mr. Minh said.
In the past time, PTC3 has ensured smooth power transmission on the North-South axis, while evacuating important concentrated energy sources in the region such as hydropower plants in the Central Highlands region, Vinh Tan thermal power plant complex, Van Phong BOT Thermal Power Plant, and renewable energy plants in the region. Thereby, ensuring safe and stable power supply for national electricity transmission and socio-economic activities in the provinces of the South Central and Central Highlands. The power grid is increasingly improved, the rate of incidents reduced, and there have been no power outages on the company’s grid.
Mr. Dinh Van Cuong, Deputy General Director of PTC3, said that with a huge structure of renewable energy sources on the grid, some 220kV lines and 220kV transformers in Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Lam Dong, Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, and Gia Lai always operate at full load.
“PTC3 has faced many difficulties in the process of safely operating the power transmission grid while evacuating the capacity of power sources. In addition, during maintenance, repair, and troubleshooting, this unit also has to cut off power for nighttime operations, with risks to safety and grid stability,” Mr. Cuong said.
Faced with these difficulties, in order to minimize the risk of power shortage in the coming year, especially at hot spots for loads, Mr. Nguyen Cong Thang, Director of PTC3, said the unit will further enhance the review and coordination with the renewable energy plants to connect with the grid at the highest level of safety in terms of equipment and lines, smooth operation information, especially in coordination with the National Load Dispatch Center, the Centers for Dispatching the Power Systems of the Central and Southern regions, and state management units.
“The unit has increased management, operating inspection, and handled defects on the power grid, completed maintenance and repair plans early; prepared full plans, human resources, materials, and equipment to handle incidents if any,” Mr. Thang informed.
Units under PTC3 strengthen regular inspections using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to monitor and promptly evaluate for safe maintenance and repair of the power grid
From the perspective of businesses, Mr. Phan Thanh Hien, Deputy General Director of Clean Energy Vision Development Joint Stock Company (investor of Phu My 1,2,3 Solar Power Plant – Binh Dinh), said that the power transmission unit has regularly exchanged, coordinated, and supported the plants in the operation of power evacuation, compliance with regulations in the electricity sector, and handling incidents. “We hope to continue receiving information exchange, sharing experiences, and mutual support in terms of human resources, equipment to operate the plant better, minimizing incidents,” Mr. Hien suggested.
Currently, in Binh Dinh province, there are 21 power plants that are operating with a total capacity of 878.9MW. Mr. Nguyen Tu Cong Hoang, Deputy Chairman of Binh Dinh province, affirmed that with the current potential and advantages, in the coming time, Binh Dinh province will continue to prioritize the development of renewable energy sources. To achieve this goal, Mr. Nguyen Tu Cong Hoang proposed that the National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT) and PTC3 continue to coordinate and support the renewable energy power plants in the management and operation process, implement investment, construction, upgrading and improvement of power works under the management scope according to approved authorized plans.
“In particular, EVNNPT and PTC3 need to pay attention to early investments in the construction of 500kV Binh Dinh substation, 220kV Nhon Hoi substation in Binh Dinh province to improve the reliability of the transmission grid, contribute to evacuate the capacity of power projects in the coming time, ensure safe and stable power supply,” Mr. Hoang expressed his expectations.
