“Conquering the Most Challenging Leg of the 500kV Power Line Project”

The winds have never been as strong and relentless as they have been this year. This is the sentiment shared by all the engineers, construction workers, consultants, and supervisors working at the 8th, 20th, 22nd, 26th, 31st, and 40th tower locations on the Hoanh Son mountain range of the 500kV power line, 3rd circuit Quang Trach – Quynh Luu, during these August days.

Tower 22, located in Ky Phuong Ward, Ky Anh Town, Ha Tinh Province, stands at an elevation of nearly 400 meters above sea level. On August 20, the scorching midday sun and strong winds allowed workers to construct only the lower half of the tower. Despite completing over 90% of the construction stages of the two tower bodies, designed to be 95 meters tall and weigh 450 tons each, the completion and energization of the towers remain heavily dependent on weather conditions.

Tran Van Truong, a worker responsible for supervision from towers 22 to 27 of Package 11 (contractor: Power Construction Joint Stock Company 4), shared: “I have been supervising here, and the wind has been incredibly strong. Our colleagues in charge of construction face numerous challenges when climbing to great heights or lifting heavy tower sections with the hoist due to the wind. We also encounter difficulties when there is heavy rain, making transportation arduous. Today, the wind has subsided significantly, but on previous days, the wind was extremely strong. Although we didn’t have a measuring device, the wind was so forceful that it made standing steadily difficult. There would be 4-5 days of strong winds every week.”

Tower 8, standing at 83 meters tall and weighing 315 tons, is designed as a two-body anchor tower with staggered bases (offset by 4 meters). This tower, situated on Deo Ngang peak of the Hoanh Son mountain range in Quang Trach District, Quang Binh Province, faces complex and challenging terrain. Engineer Dinh Sy Tri Hoang, a technical staff member of Ha Tinh Power Transmission, shared that there are numerous difficulties to discuss regarding this section, but Tower 8, located in the wind tunnel formed by the two mountain ranges, with the sea directly in front, is particularly noteworthy. The wind can be so strong that it stings the face and even tears the workers’ clothing.

“Construction at this site must ensure absolute safety due to the strong winds, which can blow tools away, creating a hazardous situation. If any tools fall, we must make adjustments, or else we won’t be able to connect the towers, making the task incredibly challenging,” added Engineer Dinh Sy Tri Hoang.

Faced with such challenges, the construction workers at this site have been unable to keep up with the schedule due to the unprecedented harsh weather conditions. With their experience in managing and operating the 500kV power lines, Circuits 1, 2, and a portion of Circuit 3, which were previously completed (500kV power line, Circuit 3 Quang Trach – Vung Ang- Playku2), the engineers, technicians, and workers of Ha Tinh Power Transmission Company have been mobilized to support the construction of this tower.

Mr. Nguyen Sy Thang, Director of Ha Tinh Power Transmission Company, shared: “If the weather permits, the tower erection will be completed by August 21, allowing us to start the wire pulling and stringing process. With the current favorable conditions, we will need one more day to finalize everything. For professional contractors, it would take about four days to string the anchor wires from this side to the other – from Tower 8 to Tower 9 – from August 21 to 25.”

After more than 20 days (from July 28 to the present), Tower 8 has been substantially completed and is ready for wire pulling. Engineer Phan Van Dong, from the Ha Tinh City Power Transmission Team, proudly shared: “I feel overwhelmed with joy because, as someone responsible for management and operation, being able to construct a tower like this and achieve success is a fantastic feeling.”

In addition to the scorching sun and strong winds, some locations along the Hoanh Son mountain range face the challenge of working in close proximity to the operational 500kV power lines carrying electricity.

Despite these challenges, hundreds of workers, engineers, and laborers are persevering through the heat and wind to expedite the completion of the remaining tower foundations on the Hoanh Son mountain range of the 500kV power line, 3rd circuit Quang Trach – Quynh Luu project, ensuring that the most challenging section of the power line is ready for energization by the end of this week.