Electricity and worries

(Baonghean) - Weak electricity, people not being able to buy electricity at home, lack of electricity for public lighting... are the prominent issues, affecting production and daily life of people in Vinh City. People really hope that these legitimate petitions will be satisfactorily resolved in this People's Council meeting.

The power grid system in hamlet 13B, Nghi Kim commune (Vinh city) has been invested and built for more than 20 years.

Poor power quality

For many months now, the family of Ms. Tran Thi Hue, Hamlet 12, Nghi Kim Commune has not been able to use air conditioning or refrigerators in daily life. During peak hours, the electric fans run intermittently, and then turn off after a few minutes, disrupting all of her family's activities. Ms. Hue said: The power source is so weak that the electrical appliances in the family are almost unusable. Many households have invested in voltage stabilizers but it has not worked. Not only Ms. Hue's family, but in Hamlet 12, nearly 100 households are in the same situation. Mr. Trinh Duy Vinh, Hamlet 12's Head, said: The whole hamlet has more than 200 households, using many different power sources. For households using electricity directly from Nghi Loc Electricity Branch, the electricity is too weak, especially those at the end of the source, the electricity is even weaker. In the summer, cooling devices cannot be used. Everyone hopes that the electricity industry will soon have a plan to upgrade the quality of electricity, if necessary, people are willing to contribute money.

Working in other hamlets in Nghi Kim commune, people's reflection of weak electricity quality is not only a local problem. In hamlet 2, during peak hours, the electricity is so weak that household appliances cannot be used. Mr. Nguyen Duc Dung, hamlet chief of hamlet 2, said: Since after Tet, the power source has been noticeably weaker. During peak hours, devices such as water heaters, air conditioners, and electric fans cannot be used. Some households at the end of the source cannot cook rice or because of weak electricity, the rice is undercooked. We hope that the Electricity sector will soon have a plan to install additional transformer stations to increase capacity, reducing difficulties in daily life for people. Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tuan, Vice Chairman of Nghi Kim Commune People's Committee, said: After receiving the power, the Electricity sector has upgraded a number of power stations, but due to increased demand among people, the capacity of the stations has not been improved. Currently, the whole commune has 7 power stations, of which some are shared by 2-3 hamlets, leading to overload. Therefore, investing in and upgrading power stations is necessary to ensure electricity supply for people's production and daily life.

Not yet purchased electricity at home

Currently, the entire Nghi Kim commune has about 200 households that have not yet been able to buy electricity at home. In 2003, Nghi Kim commune handed over the power grid infrastructure to Nghi Loc Electricity Branch for management. However, because some households in hamlets 13A, 13B, 12, 15 previously "received" electricity from factories, businesses, and military units, they have not yet handed over and enjoyed buying and selling electricity at home. For that reason, up to now, issues regarding electricity quality and price... are making people worried. Mr. Phan Thang Long, Hamlet Chief of Hamlet 12, said: Because they have not been able to buy electricity at home, for more than 20 years, 80 households in the hamlet have had to pay higher prices. In addition to the electricity price calculated according to the general price list of the state, people also have to bear an additional 410 VND/kw for depreciation and labor costs. People have sent petitions to the authorities but so far they have not been resolved.

Not only do they have to pay high prices, but the quality of the power grid infrastructure is also a concern for the people here, especially during the rainy and stormy season. For more than 20 years, the system of electric poles and meters has not been upgraded or replaced. The degraded electric poles can break or fall at any time. The meters are worn out, rusted, and the electric wires run close to people's houses, posing many potential risks. Mr. Nguyen Sy Hung, who was elected by the residential group to collect electricity bills, said: According to regulations, a meter of 10,000 KW must be replaced, but here, there are meters of nearly 30,000 KW that have not been replaced. The system of wires and electric poles has not been replaced for more than 20 years. Every month, the electricity depreciation is up to thousands of KW and people have to bear it. We all want to enjoy buying electricity at home, and the Electricity industry invests in upgrading and renovating the power grid system to ensure safety and reduce power loss.

Lack of electricity for public lighting

Except for some central wards such as Truong Thi, Le Mao, Quang Trung, Le Loi, Hung Binh, Hung Dung... most other wards and communes lack public lighting systems. This significantly affects people's lives as well as ensuring security and order at night. Mr. Le Van Hung, a resident living near Pham Hong Thai Street, said: This is a key area in terms of security and order, but there is still no lighting system. Every night at around 10 p.m., when people turn off the lights to go to sleep, the whole street is dark, many people coming home late at night passing this street feel scared. We, the people, have made many complaints but they have not been resolved yet.

Although over the years, together with the government, people in residential areas have joined hands and contributed money to light up many alleys, the lighting system is not uniform, patchwork and often damaged by wind and rain. Right in Ben Thuy ward, the southern gateway of the city, on the roads connecting 15 blocks named as Huynh Thuc Khang, Nguyen Duc Dat, Ho Qui Ly... there has not been investment in urban lighting systems.

According to statistics from Vinh Urban Infrastructure Management and Development Company, currently only 156/290 routes under the city’s management have installed night lighting systems. Hundreds of other routes and alleys have not been specifically surveyed or counted.

A first-class urban area aims to become a center of commerce, tourism and other services with strong impacts on the North Central region; a commercial hub as an important gateway to the North Central region as well as the whole country and internationally. If considered in such a scale, Vinh is a remarkable bright spot both literally and figuratively. But literally, the city's night lighting system has not met the requirements.

Pham Bang