This is a meaningful milestone to celebrate National Day (September 2) and commemorate the 79th anniversary of the founding of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
This is also an important project with significant political and economic implications, completed in record time with no precedent, affirming Vietnam's position in the region and the world. Reporters from Nhan Dan Newspaper had a conversation with Nguyen Tuan Tung, Chairman of the Member Council of the National Power Transmission Corporation, the investor of the key national project for 2024.
Q: Could you please explain the significance, scale, and importance of the Circuit-3 500kV power transmission line project?
A: It can be said that the 500kV power transmission line is the nation's 'lifeblood', delivering electricity to all regions of the country, contributing to economic and social development, and ensuring national defence and security. The localised power shortages in northern Vietnam in May-June 2023 highlighted the need to immediately construct the Circuit-3 500kV transmission line to transfer electricity from the central to the northern region. This will help ensure a sufficient and continuous power supply for the economy and secure the nation's energy security.
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Nguyen Tuan Tung, Chairman of the Member Council of the National Power Transmission Corporation |
The project spans 590 kilometres and passes through nine provinces, including Quang Binh, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, and Hung Yen. It features 1,177 pole locations and a transmission capacity of up to 2,400 megawatts, playing a crucial role in enhancing the national power grid's transmission capacity. Upon completion, it will ensure proactive and flexible management, and balance electricity supply between regions across the country.
This is a key national project with a significant total investment (over 23 trillion VND) and the largest construction volume to date, with the requirement to shorten construction time as much as possible. Compared to Circuit 1 of the 500kV transmission line, built 32 years ago over 4 years, this project has the shortest construction time and the fastest progress, with a workforce of up to 15,000 engineers and workers. Construction has been continuous with no days off, working through holidays and the Lunar New Year, with coordination involving non-electricity sector entities, such as Viettel Military Telecom Group and NPT Telecom Group from Military Regions 3 and 4.
The Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) has mobilised technical staff from its five member corporations to support and coordinate the construction. The tower positions have largely completed installation and cable pulling. Key component projects such as Quynh Luu (Nghe An)-Thanh Hoa-Thanh Hoa-Nam Dinh 1 and Nam Dinh-Pho Noi (Hung Yen) have been inspected and energised.
Under the directives of the Government and the Prime Minister, the State Capital Management Committee, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Corporation is urgently completing the remaining tasks to initiate the inauguration before National Day (September 2).
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A meeting of the acceptance council for electrifying the Circuit-3 500kV transmission line project, at the Quynh Luu-Thanh Hoa section. |
Q: Thus, the project has undergone 250 days and nights of 'non-stop' work, overcoming numerous seemingly 'impossible' challenges to achieve a remarkable feat in the new era. What has impressed you the most?
A: Perhaps, after the command to launch the general offensive to liberate the South and reunify the country, this recent mobilisation has been equally fervent, urging all generations and workers in the electricity sector into action. Reflecting on the challenging journey we have overcome, what impresses us the most is the decisive and coordinated participation of the entire political system, various levels, sectors, and organisations, such as youth, women, veterans, and teenagers.
The Government and the Prime Minister have provided extremely detailed and decisive guidance, in a short period. Specifically, the Prime Minister has held five meetings with relevant ministries, sectors, and localities through which the transmission line passes. The Prime Minister has also personally visited the construction sites three times (in nine provinces), including the most challenging sites in Thanh Hoa and Nghe An, to offer support, gifts, and encouragement to the staff and workers on site.
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The Quynh Luu - Thanh Hoa 500kV Circuit-3 transmission line is energised. |
The leadership’s enthusiasm has spread to provinces and cities with a strong determination and collective efforts to complete the project. Many localities have shown creative ways to expedite land clearance, such as Nam Dinh, Nghe An, and Thanh Hoa. The Party Secretaries and Chairpersons of the nine provinces have personally visited the areas to meet and encourage the people to prioritise national and ethnic interests and readily hand over land so that contractors can begin construction as soon as possible.
For example, the family of Le Van Ba in Hau Hien Town, Thieu Hoa District, Thanh Hoa Province, Tran Van Hau in Cam My Commune, Cam Xuyen District (Ha Tinh Province), and many others have willingly handed over their homes and crops without concern for their losses, allowing project management boards and contractors to bring in equipment and machinery for construction.
Q: If you could summarise the overall picture of the Circuit-3 500kV Transmission Line project, what would you say?
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Functional agencies encourage onstruction units at the Circuit-3 500kV transmission line project site. |
A: It is an epic in the era of industrialisation and modernisation when the entire nation has joined the electricity sector in the construction effort. We acknowledge and highly appreciate the support from the Party committees, authorities, the involvement of central ministries and agencies, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour, and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Central Committee, who have been present at the construction sites to provide support, encouragement, and resources for the project. We will never forget the sight of young volunteers bringing ice-cold water and bottles of drinking water to the base of the towers for the staff and workers under the scorching summer heat of 40-50 degrees Celsius.
Q: Achieving today's results is thanks to the silent contributions and sacrifices of the staff and workers of the National Power Transmission Corporation and the construction contractors. Could you share more about this?
A: Today’s achievements are the result of the hard work and contributions of the staff and workers who have been and are working on the construction sites. They have been away from their families for 7-8 months, with many not having the opportunity to take holidays. Leaders like us, from the corporation to the subsidiary companies and project management boards, have been living and working on-site, maintaining regular briefings, monitoring, and handling tasks on computers according to the Prime Minister's directive of 'focusing only on progress, not setbacks'. The production and import of components directly to the construction sites have allowed departments within the industry and the corporation to work closely and smoothly.
What impresses me the most is the sight of workers perched high on towers over 100 metres tall, some as high as 145 metres. They have had to work under scorching heat, rain, and wind, and even eat, rest and attend to personal hygiene at the top of the towers. When night falls, they rest in makeshift campsites on the construction grounds, only to continue the 'climbing' routine the next day. To fully understand, climbing from the base to the top of a tower is equivalent to ascending several hundred steps of an 18-20 story building, which takes 30-35 minutes if climbed quickly, and they must complete their shift before descending.
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Electricity workers at the height of hundreds of metres while constructing the Circuit-3 500kV Transmission Line. |
Q: Thus, the electricity sector in general and the National Power Transmission Corporation in particular, along with the construction units, have achieved a remarkable feat, turning the 'impossible' into 'possible,' creating a solid foundation for the industrialisation and modernisation of the country, and contributing to the successful implementation of the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress. Could you please outline the key tasks for the coming period?
A: According to Document No.398-TB-VP-CP dated August 19, from the Government’s Office, which announced the conclusions of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh that Vietnam Electricity and the National Power Transmission Corporation would continue to work closely with relevant agencies, units, and local governments to address new difficulties and obstacles that arise, effectively complete environmental restoration, and visit and encourage families who have given land for the project. They were also tasked with a comprehensive assessment of the challenges and advantages encountered, drawing lessons learned to apply to future projects, creating momentum, and setting a foundation for citizens, businesses, and the entire political system, in developing the country’s socio-economic infrastructure.
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Staff and workers in the electricity sector are striving to complete the Circuit-3 500kV Transmission Line project in time to meaningfully celebrate the August Revolution and National Day (September 2). |
In just a few days, the Circuit-3 500kV Transmission Line will be inaugurated and put into commercial operation. This is the result of the unified and determined solidarity, and the collective effort of the entire political system, and proves that no task is too difficult or impossible. It is the outcome of the spirit of the August Revolution and National Day, which has motivated us to complete the mission of transmitting electricity from the South to the North. It represents 1,117 bouquets placed along the central region from Quang Binh to Hung Yen, dedicated to the Fatherland on the occasion of the 79th anniversary of National Day (September 2).
"The acceptance process is carried out according to the strict procedures and regulations of the State Acceptance Council, covering everything from design, supervision, and construction. Because the member units of the council work diligently, score, and assess comprehensively and rigorously, all four component projects have been successfully given electricity after acceptance without any errors."
Truong Huu Thanh, Chairman of the Acceptance Council for the project’s quality
Thank you very much!
