On June 2, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh inspected and urged the progress of the Quang Trach 1 Thermal Power Plant project in Quang Trach Power Center and the 500 kV power transmission line project from Quang Trach (Quang Binh) to Pho Noi (Hung Yen) during his working program in Quang Binh province.
At the first pole positions of the 500 kV power transmission line project, the Prime Minister commended the efforts and dedication of the relevant entities and the enthusiastic work of the officers, workers, and employees. He also requested the Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) and other units and localities to continue to highly focus on implementing the project, ensuring progress, improving quality, and maintaining safety and environmental hygiene while preventing corruption, negativity, and waste.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to continue promoting the spirit of “only discussing doing, not discussing retreating,” “overcoming the sun and winning against the rain,” and “eating hastily and sleeping urgently.” He also suggested calculating reasonable construction plans that align with the Central region’s harsh sunny weather and ensuring labor regeneration and the legitimate rights of workers.
The Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and the Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee directed the local authorities and related agencies to mobilize available resources and create the most favorable conditions for investors, contractors, and construction units in terms of logistics, accommodation, transportation, and sanitation to ensure the convenience, health, and safety of officers, engineers, workers, and employees, especially the newly mobilized forces.
The Secretaries of the Provincial Party Committees and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee directed the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union organizations in the localities where the power line passes through to closely coordinate with the investors and construction units. They also mobilized youth union members of all levels, promoting the vanguard spirit and the strength of Vietnamese youth, to participate in public works and tasks such as wire pulling and material transportation.
The Prime Minister also requested EVN and the National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT) to command the forces and organize construction reasonably and scientifically to avoid overlapping. They were also instructed to regularly inspect and supervise the construction site to ensure progress and quality, coordinate well with local authorities and public security at all levels to maintain security and order in the construction areas, and ensure labor safety and environmental hygiene on the site.
The 500 kV power transmission line project from Quang Trach to Pho Noi consists of four component projects, with a total length of approximately 519 km, passing through 211 communes and wards of 43 districts and towns in nine provinces. The total investment is about VND 22,300 billion, and the National Power Transmission Corporation, under EVN, is the investor.
This project is of particular importance as it aims to strengthen the 500 kV North-Central power grid, enhance the stability of the national power system, and contribute to ensuring electricity supply to the North, both at present and in the coming years. Additionally, the projects help reduce the risk of congestion and overload on the existing 500 kV power lines.
According to the investor’s report, as of May 31, 2024, the entire 500 kV power transmission line from Quang Trach to Pho Noi had completed 1,177 out of 1,177 foundation positions. A total of 775 out of 1,177 steel poles have been handed over, with 748 poles already erected and the rest under construction. Out of 513 wire spans, 41 are completed, and the rest are under construction. The project’s land area has been basically handed over to the contractor for pole erection and wire pulling.
The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor and EVN launched a 120-day emulation movement with the spirit of five “mosts”: “Fastest progress, best quality, safest and most economical, most creative, and best care for employees.”
In the remaining 30 days of the project in June, EVN/EVNNPT will continue to urge contractors to supply equipment and materials to the construction site promptly. They will also direct the construction contractors to continue implementing the Prime Minister’s directive to work in three shifts, four groups, 24/7, overcoming sunny weather and winning against rainy conditions, eating hastily and sleeping urgently, and only discussing doing, not retreating. They are determined to complete the pole erection and wire pulling by June 20, 2024, and finish the acceptance and commissioning before June 30, 2024.
EVN has mobilized a large number of human resources from other units within EVN (over 2,500 people) to participate in the construction of the 500 kV power transmission line project (including Transmission Companies 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and Power Corporations of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City). The Viettel Group has also dispatched eight teams with 160 people to assist in pole erection and wire pulling.
On the same day, the Prime Minister inspected and urged the progress of the Quang Trach I Thermal Power Plant project in the Quang Trach Power Center.
The plant, invested by EVN with a total investment of VND 41,130 billion, consists of two units with a total installed capacity of 1,200 MW. Construction began in December 2021 on an area of approximately 48.6 hectares in Vinh Son village, Quang Dong commune, Quang Trach district. Once operational, it will provide the national power system with an annual output of about 8.4 billion kWh.
As of the end of April 2024, the project’s overall progress reached nearly 60%. According to the plan, Unit 1 will be put into operation in early 2026.
At the construction site, the Prime Minister requested to rebuild the plan and strive to shorten the construction period to generate electricity on the occasion of September 2, 2025, the 80th anniversary of the founding of Vietnam. He also asked to consider using domestic coal and coal sources from Laos to reduce transportation costs, choosing the most cost-effective option.
In a conversation with the representative of Hyundai, the project’s contractor, the Prime Minister suggested that Hyundai strengthen investment and technology transfer to Vietnam, contributing to the excellent development of relations between Vietnam and South Korea. Vietnam will continue to improve its business environment, reform administrative procedures, remove obstacles, and create the most favorable conditions for businesses and investors.
