The Miracle of the 500 kV Power Line Project

A Multi-Billion Dollar Initiative

Alongside the remarkable construction progress, the 500kV power line project from Quang Trach to Pho Noi achieved another record by installing numerous super-tall towers over 100m high, including the tallest tower at 145m (equivalent to a 40-story building) and weighing approximately 426 tons. This project also witnessed a cost-saving initiative worth billions of dongs, accelerating the construction progress and leading to an early completion.

Notably, the Quang Trach – Quynh Luu section, constructed by Song Da Construction and Investment Joint Stock Company, became one of the most challenging segments of the entire line. Not only did it involve the tallest tower in the entire power line (tower 175, standing at 145m), but it also introduced a new type of steel tubular pole never before seen in Vietnam’s power system.

The construction unit had to level the ground using more than 1,000m3 of rocks and soil, creating a foundation with a depth of 6.5m. The steel frame structure of the tower was equally impressive: the main pipe of the tower, from the base to the 60.6m mark (6 sections of connected pipes), was of the phi 711.2mm type (gradually decreasing in size), with massive crossbars weighing around 6 tons each. Due to the massive steel frames, large cranes weighing about 400 tons and capable of reaching a height of 135m had to be mobilized for the construction.

“During the installation process, our team realized that climbing up the crossbar pipes would be time-consuming. Working on a rope ladder was also unstable and potentially unsafe. Our engineers and workers came up with the idea of fabricating a platform that could be attached to the ends of the main pipe sections, allowing them to work around the pipes safely. This innovation not only ensured the safety of the workers but also accelerated the construction progress, reducing the installation time to around 40-45 days,” said Mr. Ngo Dinh Can, Deputy Manager of the Business Department of Song Da Construction and Investment Joint Stock Company.

“In addition to the efforts of the power sector and construction units, we must acknowledge that the project’s success in terms of progress would not have been possible without the strong leadership and support from the Prime Minister, central ministries and local authorities, as well as the assistance of socio-political organizations, especially the Central Committee of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and the Provincial Youth Unions. These are truly impressive achievements, and we are grateful for the crucial role played by the youth unions and their members, who have a deep understanding of the local areas and maintain close relationships with the people. Their contribution has been invaluable in ensuring the smooth implementation of the project.”

Mr. Pham Hong Phuong, Deputy General Director of Vietnam Electricity (EVN)

By shortening the construction time by 10 days at tower 175, the company saved a total of VND 510 million in crane rental and labor costs.

Mr. Dang Hoang An, Chairman of the Members’ Council of EVN, decided to implement the experience gained from tower 175 across the entire construction site of the 500kV power line from Quang Trach to Pho Noi, resulting in estimated savings worth billions of dongs.

A Project of Achievements

The project spanned 9 provinces (Quang Binh, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Hai Duong, and Hung Yen), 43 districts, and 211 communes, involving the construction of 513 anchor points, 1,177 towers, and nearly 139,000 tons of steel. To complete the power line at a rapid pace, the power transmission units employed numerous initiatives, notably the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to lay the pilot wire for the 500kV power line.

Mr. Tran Thanh Phong, Director of Power Transmission Company 2 (PTC2), shared that to support the contractor, Song Da 11, in accelerating the progress, PTC2 utilized a UAV assembled and manufactured by the company, equipped with an automatic wire release mechanism to pull the wire across 9 spans from Quang Trach to Quynh Luu, setting a new record in construction speed. “In the past, laying the pilot wire relied on human power, requiring a team of 10-20 workers to trek through forests and wade through streams to lay the wire from one tower to another, which was laborious, time-consuming, and dangerous. With the UAV, laying the pilot wire, especially in mountainous and complex terrain, takes just over 2 minutes,” Mr. Phong added.

Following PTC2’s initiative, several other units of EVNNPT successfully applied the UAV technology for wire laying, such as at spans 317-319 on the 500kV power line from Quang Trach to Quynh Luu…

Mr. Dang Hoang An, Chairman of EVN, emphasized the massive scale of the project and the incredible speed at which it was executed. The towers are taller and heavier than those in previous projects, and since this is a double-circuit line, the total construction volume is equivalent to more than 1,000km of power lines. For comparison, the Quang Trach – Pleiku project, with a length of 700km, took 4 years to complete. In contrast, for this project, as of January 25, when the Prime Minister held a meeting in Thanh Hoa with the 9 provinces regarding the 500 kV power line, the land acquisition process was still ongoing.

“This project belongs to the entire nation, not just the power sector. It is a massive undertaking that has been executed at an unprecedented pace, with taller and heavier towers than ever before. Even the power sector itself did not imagine that such a project could be completed so swiftly,” Mr. An stated.