Dong Nai powering up transmission grid development

On August 9, general director Pham Le Phu of National Power Corporation belonging to state-owned power authority Electricity of Vietnam (EVNNPT) had a working session with Chairman of Dong Nai People’s Committee Cao Tien Dung to discuss measures aiming at clearing the hurdles related to site clearance and compensation that power transmission projects in the province are facing.

Joining the EVNNPT’s working group were Nguyen Ngoc Tan, board member of EVNNPT, Truong Huu Thanh, EVNNPT’s deputy general director and director of the Southern Power Project Management Board (SPMB); and leaders of EVNNPT’s functional departments.

From the part of Dong Nai People’s Committee, representatives from different management agencies like the Department of Finance, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and other related locations took part in the working session.

According to Thanh, to meet Dong Nai’s burgeoning power demand for socioeconomic development, the power sector is injecting about $652 million into expediting a raft of transmission projects in the province, four of them are urgent for completion right in 2022.

Of these urgent ones, the first involves building a 16.4km long 500kV Long Thanh-Song May transmission line which is slated for completion to connect to the power grid in September.

The project covers Trang Bom and Long Thanh districts in which 11 households in Long Thanh districts are impeding the project’s progress despite having received compensation.

To satisfy the power demand for Dong Nai in the forthcoming time, EVNNPT is exercising site clearance and compensation for a string of other projects to facilitate a suitable implementation pace.

The second project is on building a 500kV Long Thanh transformer station and associated connection lines. The project is slated for completion in September. Site clearance has so far been completed.

The third project involves building a 220kV Tam Phuoc transformer station which is slated for completion in November. As of now, Bien Hoa City People’s Committee just greenlit compensation plans for two out of 18 households.

The third project aims to build a 13.67km long 220kV power transmission line crossing Bien Hoa city and Trang Bom district.

The project is scheduled for completion in November, yet facing many roadblocks related to the foundation position and associated corridor in both localities.

To satisfy power demand for Dong Nai in the forthcoming time, EVNNPT is exercising site clearance and compensation for a string of other projects to facilitate a suitable implementation pace.

The projects include building a 220kV Dinh Quan transformer station, a 220kV transformer station at Nhon Trach industrial park and an associated connection line, a 500kV power transmission line connecting Nhon Trach 4 power plant Phu My-Nha Be, and others.

In addition, EVNNPT engages in investment preparations for a number of other projects in the province, such on building a 500kV Bac Chau Doc transformer station and connection line and a 500kV Dong Nai 2 transformer station and connection line, among others.

At the working session, Pham Le Phu, EVNNPT’s general director, noted that as power transmission projects aim to ensure national power security, EVNNPT wanted Dong Nai’s management authorities to place such projects on the list of the province’s key projects which would receive due attention to facilitate site clearance work, paving the way for the projects to reach completion on time.

The drastic efforts must gear towards soon completing the handover of the 500kV Long Thanh-Song May transmission line and connecting lines to the 500kV Long Thanh transformer station.

For the projects related to the 220kV Tam Phuoc transformer station and 220kV Song May-Tam Phuoc transmission line, the handover must be completed in September.

With respect to the 220kV transformer station which has completed in June, the road heading to the station has yet to be completed.

EVNNPT asked Dong Nai People’s Committee to urge relevant competent agencies to focus on tackling impediments to the project’s operation.

For the projects in the investment preparation phase, EVNNPT leaders proposed Dong Nai’s relevant departments soon approve transformer station site plans and the direction of associated connection lines, laying the foundation for the provincial leaders to greenlight project implementation.

Energising the third circuit of the 500kV transmission line Vung Ang-Quang Trach-Doc Soi-Pleiku 2 will contribute to undertaking electricity supply and energy security for the South and releasing the power of renewable energy projects.

Electricity of Vietnam has proposed changing the use purpose of the forest land while accelerating land clearance to develop the 500kV Van Phong-Vinh Tan transmission line project.

Structural changes to remove the bottlenecks for power generation and create competition in the energy sector are necessary, according to local experts, for example by allowing private investments in the transmission system.

At the working session, Chairman Dung appreciated EVNNPT and SPMB’s efforts for effective cooperation with the province’s competent agencies in removing the bottlenecks that power transmission projects in the province face in site clearance and compensation.

As Dong Nai will be expediting many projects on building industrial zones and infrastructure such as those on building Long Thanh International Airport or the Nhon Trach port complex, these power transmission projects are deemed very significant to beef up development.