Sectors have not yet fulfilled their responsibility to supervise investment in hydropower projects.

The working session is under the program to monitor the implementation of planning, results and effectiveness of hydropower projects. Photo: Minh Chi

With a dense network of rivers and streams, Nghe An is a province with great potential for hydropower development. In fact, the province has approved the planning of 47 hydropower projects, with a total capacity of over 1,407 MW.

During the planning process, based on the Government's direction, Nghe An reviewed, evaluated, and proposed the Ministry of Industry and Trade to remove from the planning 15 small-scale, low-efficiency projects.

Up to now, the province has 32 planned hydropower projects, of which 12 projects have been completed and put into operation; 12 projects have been and are under construction; 5 projects have had investment policies but have not been implemented and 3 projects do not have investors.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Hoang Viet Duong requested the Department of Industry and Trade to coordinate with sectors and localities to re-evaluate the overall implementation of hydropower project planning in the province. Photo: Minh Chi

Based on direct supervision at a number of hydropower projects in Que Phong, Ky Son, Tuong Duong as well as listening to feedback from the grassroots, members of the supervision delegation of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council raised many concerns.

Mr. Le Dinh Ly - Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs is concerned about the quality of planning when there are still 15 projects removed from the planning after review and re-evaluation.

Mr. Dang Quang Hong - Deputy Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council raised the issue related to the supervision of the process and regulations of reservoir operation of hydropower projects from the authorities, ensuring the safety of downstream areas as well as ecology.

According to Mr. Hong, monitoring shows that at the Nam Mo hydropower project, when water is stored, the river dries up, and when the bottom is discharged, a large amount of mud is dragged along, affecting aquatic resources and the risk of drought in the dry season and landslides in the rainy season is real.

The Economic - Budget Committee's monitoring delegation learned about the reservoir operation process at the Nam Mo hydropower project in Ky Son district. Photo: Minh Chi

Some members are also concerned about the issue of reforestation to replace lost forest areas when implementing hydropower projects; the consequences of hydropower projects on the ecosystem and environment, and on people's livelihoods; resettlement issues; coordination between sectors and localities with investors in handling issues arising during project implementation...

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Hoang Viet Duong requested the Department of Industry and Trade to coordinate with sectors and localities to re-evaluate the overall implementation of hydropower project planning in the province, including positive and negative impacts and consequences; clarify the responsibilities of districts, investors and provincial sectors; thereby making recommendations and solutions to remove difficulties and shortcomings as well as issues forecast to affect in the coming time.

Director of the Department of Industry and Trade Hoang Van Tam explained and clarified many issues of concern to the monitoring delegation. Photo: Minh Chi

Directly explaining many issues raised by the monitoring team, Mr. Hoang Van Tam - Director of the Department of Industry and Trade affirmed that the hydropower planning work in the province was carried out in accordance with procedures and regulations. Mr. Tam said that the number of projects removed from the planning cannot be used to say that the quality of the planning is not guaranteed.

The Director of the Department of Industry and Trade added that since 2015, the Department has not yet consulted on any additional hydropower project planning. Regarding a series of problems that the members of the monitoring team were concerned about, the head of the Department also said that the responsibility belongs to many sectors, including districts and project investors.

Concluding the meeting, Head of the Economic and Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council Le Hong Vinh pointed out many shortcomings, limitations, and consequences of hydropower projects; at the same time, he affirmed that the process of approving projects has not fully assessed negative impacts, as evidenced by the many existing consequences that have not yet had solutions or definitive measures to handle.

On the other hand, in the process of investing in hydropower projects, the State management role of the sectors has not been really proactive and has not fulfilled its responsibility to monitor and inspect, but mainly when problems arise and are reported by people and the press, an inspection team is established.

Mr. Le Hong Vinh - Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council concluded the meeting. Photo: Minh Chi

The Head of the Economic - Budget Committee of the Provincial People's Council requested the Department of Industry and Trade to evaluate the exploitation and recovery of forest and mineral resources in the hydroelectric reservoir; pay attention to coordinating with sectors and localities to research and build sustainable livelihood models for people in the reservoir area and people in the resettlement areas.

The Department needs to advise the Provincial People's Committee to establish an interdisciplinary team to most accurately assess the quality and investment efficiency of hydropower projects, make recommendations on whether or not to continue investing in hydropower projects, advise on issuing sanctions to strictly bind the responsibilities of sectors, localities and investors in resolving issues arising during the implementation of projects as well as post-resettlement...