Miracle of faith and unity

The 500kV line 3 project from Quang Trach to Pho Noi has a total length of 519 km, including two double circuits of 500kV lines and 1,177 pole foundation locations 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. The project has a total investment of about 23 trillion VND, equivalent to 1 billion USD.

The Prime Minister and the construction force of 500kV line circuit 3 expressed their determination to complete the project.

According to the Power Plan VIII, this line will be built and put into operation in the 2025-2026 period to improve the capacity of the transmission grid connection between the North - Central - South regions, contributing to ensuring electricity supply for the North. However, due to the urgent nature of the power source system in the North and the transmission capacity of the 500kV grid from the Central region to the North, from mid-2023, the Prime Minister requested urgent implementation and completion in June 2024.

As we know, in the 90s, Vietnam's power source structure was unbalanced. The North had many coal-fired thermal power and hydroelectric power sources, while the South had mainly gas-fired power sources, with the rest being a few sources from oil and hydroelectric power. Renewable energy at that time was not yet developed. Meanwhile, the demand for electricity for economic development in the entire Southern region was very large. Therefore, Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet decided to build the 500kV line 1 with the determination to complete it within 2 years to bring electricity from the North to the South.

Upon completion, this project has solved the electricity shortage in the South, creating a great boost for the socio-economic development of the South - an economic locomotive of the country.

In the following years, Vietnam developed the 500kV line 2 and part of line 3 in the South to bring electricity from the Central and Central Highlands regions to the North and improve the stability of the power system. However, because the power source structure in the North has reached its limit, while the South and Central regions have developed many large power centers and have nearly 20,000 MW of renewable energy, the transmission capacity of the line from the Central region to the North is limited, so the construction of line 3 from Quang Trach - Pho Noi is extremely important.

On July 8, 2023, in Hanoi, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien - Deputy Head of the National Power Development Steering Committee chaired a meeting (in person and online) with 9 localities and related units on the 500kV line 3 project from Quang Trach to Pho Noi, contributing to ensuring electricity for the North.

Remember in mid-July 2023, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien held a meeting (after the Prime Minister's direction) with the State Capital Management Committee, Vietnam Electricity Group/National Power Transmission Corporation and 9 localities where line 3 passes through to orient, propose implementation solutions and completion progress of June 30, 2024. At that time and even later, many people affirmed that it was impossible to complete. Because there were too many challenges, especially in terms of time, not to mention documents, procedures, site clearance, contractor capacity, construction conditions, weather factors.

However, with the spirit of "only discussing work, not retreating", "overcoming the sun, overcoming the rain", "eating quickly, sleeping urgently", working continuously 24/7, "3 shifts, 4 shifts", "not enough work during the day, working at night", "working through Tet, through holidays, through holidays"... after just over 6 months, 4 component projects and auxiliary works have been basically completed. Notably, on June 30, the Nam Dinh - Thanh Hoa Thermal Power Plant line section was completed and energized, on June 28, the Thanh Hoa 500kV transformer station was also energized. Before that, a number of other connecting lines were also completed, promptly reducing the load on the 500kV grid from the Central region to the North. According to the determination of EVN/EVNNPT and contractors, by July 30, the entire line will be completed and energized and inaugurated.

To achieve the above results, in addition to the attention, direction and encouragement of the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers, we also have to mention the efforts of ministries/sectors and localities. Specifically, we have removed difficulties in procedures for using forest land and converting agricultural land; provided maximum support for site clearance procedures; and mobilized people to support the project.

Minister of Industry and Trade chaired a meeting on the 500kV line circuit 3

Every two weeks, the Standing Committee of the State Steering Committee for key national projects and works in the Energy sector holds an online meeting to review the progress of project implementation, resolutely implementing the 4-on-site plan at the construction site of the 500 kg line circuit 3, including on-site construction equipment, on-site labor, on-site construction materials and on-site compensation.

In addition, there are emulation movements for the construction site of Circuit 3. In particular, the electricity industry has mobilized on a national scale to bring orange soldiers from all over the country with the support of energy enterprises to speed up the construction progress, at peak times up to more than 15,000 workers. In addition, there are about 4,000 youth union members supported by the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union in the localities.

Mr. Nguyen Thai Son - Vice President of Vietnam Energy Association said that the energization of the 500kV line, circuit 3, Nam Dinh - Thanh Hoa Thermal Power Plant, along with the amount of work that has been basically completed up to this point, is considered a miracle of the electricity industry. Because no project/construction can be implemented at such a rapid pace. The line is quite long, with 2 circuits, passing through many localities, the terrain is quite complicated, requires high technical skills, a huge amount of work, and the time required is urgent.

According to Mr. Nguyen Thai Son, up to now, there have been many key transmission projects such as the 500kV line circuit 1, the 500kV line from Son La to Lai Chau, from Van Phong to Vinh Tan or the 500kV line circuit 3 from Quang Trach - Doc Soi - Pleiku that also took from 18 months to over 3 years despite the direction and support of the Government.

“I can also confirm that until now, there has not been a single project where the construction contractor, the investor, social organizations, and young people have worked together with the same spirit as in the 80s and 90s,” Mr. Nguyen Thai Son shared.

The 500kV line 3 circuit Nam Dinh - Thanh Hoa section has been completed and energized.

It can be said that the completion of the entire 500kV line 3 project in July 2024 is a miracle in the renovation period. And that result is a clear demonstration of the mettle, determination and solidarity of the Vietnamese people. That achievement will also leave many lessons in the implementation of other projects, the big and important things of the country, which, as Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh pointed out, must be highly determined, make great efforts, take drastic actions, clearly define the people, clearly define the work, clearly define the time and clearly define the products; Overcome difficulties and challenges, turn nothing into something, turn difficult into easy, turn impossible into possible; Must prepare capital and mobilize total resources, mobilize local strength; The participation with a high sense of responsibility of the entire political system from the central to local levels; quickly remove and resolve procedures and finally gain the consensus and support of the people.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/duong-day-500kv-mach-3-ky-tich-cua-niem-tin-va-su-doan-ket-329848.html