The sprint to achieve the goal of inauguration on the occasion of National Day, September 2, 2024, is taking place at the construction sites of the 500kV line 3, Quang Trach - Pho Noi section. The next 20 days are the time to promote the spirit of "only discussing work, not retreating", "overcoming the sun to win the rain, not losing to the wind and storm"...

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh inspects, urges and encourages the implementation of the 500 kV power transmission line project, circuit 3, Quang Trach - Pho Noi

Many seniors in the electricity industry, when mentioning the 500 kV power line project, circuit 3, Quang Trach - Pho Noi section, remember the miracle of the first 500 kV line, nearly 1,500 km long, carrying electricity from the North to the South, completed 30 years ago.

Although the level of human resources, technology and experience is superior to three decades ago, the construction of the transmission line at this time still faces many difficulties, especially in site clearance.

The 500 kV line, circuit 3, Quang Trach-Pho Noi, has a total length of about 519 km, passing through 211 communes and wards of 43 districts and towns in 9 provinces including Quang Binh, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Hai Duong and Hung Yen, occupying different types of land use. Each province and city has a different compensation policy and method of implementing site clearance.

According to Prof. Dr. Tran Dinh Long, Vice President of the Vietnam Electricity Association, one of the key personnel of the 500 kV line, circuit 1, the difficulties in natural conditions when constructing the 500 kV line, circuit 3, Quang Trach-Pho Noi are less than those of circuit 1. However, there are still many related issues and each region has its own problems. For example, in mountainous areas or areas with little agricultural cultivation, compensation and site clearance will be easier, but the transportation of machinery, materials, construction, and wire pulling will be more challenging.

Another issue pointed out by experts before the component projects of the 500 kV line 3 started construction was the problem of site clearance related to the conversion of forest land use purposes. Regarding this point, after listening to the contributions of competent authorities and experts, on March 6, 2024, the Government issued Decree 27/2024/ND-CP amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No. 156/2018/ND-CP dated November 16, 2018 of the Government detailing the implementation of a number of articles of the Forestry Law.

The new Decree allows temporary use to carry out temporary construction works serving the construction of power grid projects for socio-economic development for the national and public interests in accordance with the provisions of the law on construction, electricity and other relevant laws, but does not change the purpose of forest use to other purposes for the temporarily used forest area.

In June 2024, the Government approved the policy framework on compensation, support and resettlement for component projects of the 500 kV line project, circuit 3 from Quang Trach to Pho Noi, including: Quang Trach-Quynh Luu, Quynh Luu-Thanh Hoa and Nam Dinh I-Pho Noi Thermal Power Plant and approved the Policy Framework on compensation, support and resettlement for the 500 kV line project of Nam Dinh I-Thanh Hoa Thermal Power Plant.

Competing with the feat of completing the 500 kV line 1 in 2 years, the 500 kV line 3 project once set a target of completion in 1/3 of the 2-year period, or about 8 months. The Thanh Hoa-Nam Dinh 1 500 kV line project (73km long) started construction at the end of October 2023 and was successfully energized on June 30, 2024, or about 8 months.

Construction of wire pulling at Thanh Hoa-Nam Dinh 1 Thermal Power Plant component project

The remaining components, including the Quang Trach-Quynh Luu 500 kV transmission line project (226km long); Quynh Luu-Thanh Hoa 500 kV transmission line project (2 circuits, 91km long); Nam Dinh 1-Pho Noi 500 kV transmission line project (123km long), were all started on January 18, 2024. If energized on the occasion of National Day, the construction time would take about 8 months.

To achieve the above results, the spirit of 'only discussing work, no backtracking' with the determination, solidarity, consensus, and effective participation of the local political system, the efforts to 'overcome the sun and rain, not lose to the wind and storms', working in "3 shifts and 4 shifts", "eating quickly, sleeping urgently"... of the construction workers at the construction site have been highly promoted.

Construction teams of electricity workers from localities such as Hanoi, Thua Thien Hue, Phu Yen... are always ready to "fuel" the construction sites of the 500 kV line 3, many people work continuously for months without returning home. Even many officials who are about to retire still accept to "go to reinforce" the national key project.

The 500 kV line 3 project, Quang Trach - Pho Noi section, has also received close and active direction from the Government and the Prime Minister.

In addition to directly visiting the project construction sites in Thai Binh (January 27, 2024), Quang Binh (June 2, 2024), Nghe An (June 23, 2024), since April 2024, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has chaired a monthly meeting with ministries, branches, localities, and units on the implementation status of the 500 kV transmission line projects, circuit 3, Quang Trach - Pho Noi.

At the meeting on August 13, 2024, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that the remaining workload is not much but is difficult. Therefore, relevant agencies, units, localities, and forces must be more determined, make more efforts, work harder, and focus more on key points in the final sprint phase with the goal of completing the project before September 2, and organizing the inauguration on the occasion of National Day this year.

According to expert Tran Dinh Long, the completion of the third circuit line will increase the transmission capacity from the Central region to the North, freeing up electricity capacity in the Central region, mainly surplus renewable electricity, and increasing the ability to supply electricity to the northern region. The progress set by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is a target for the electricity industry to strive for and complete the project as soon as possible.

According to Hoang Hanh

Government Newspaper