The provincial National Assembly delegation supervises the implementation of policies and laws on energy development at Ban Ve Hydropower and Khe Bo Coal Company.

Monitoring activities are carried out according to Plan No. 355/KH-DGS dated October 28, 2022 of the Monitoring Delegation of the National Assembly Standing Committee onthematic supervision“Implementation of policies and laws on energy development in the 2016-2021 period”.

The monitoring delegation worked at Ban Ve Hydropower Company. Photo: D.C.

Attending the monitoring activity were representatives of the Provincial People's Council, the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, the Provincial Women's Union, the Department of Industry and Trade, leaders of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district, Ban Ve Hydropower Company and Khe Bo Coal Joint Stock Company.

Connected to the national grid nearly 13 billion kWh

The Ban Ve Hydropower Project was decided for investment by the Prime Minister in Document No. 665/QD-TTg dated June 19, 2003, assigning Vietnam Electricity Group as the investor.

The monitoring delegation visited the operating area of ​​Ban Ve Hydropower Plant. Photo: D.C.

Ban Ve Hydropower Plant is the largest hydropower project in the North Central region, with a capacity of 320 MW. As a multi-purpose project, in addition to the task of supplying electricity to the national economy, the plant also has the responsibility of supplying water to the downstream during the dry season, cutting and reducing floods during the flood season according to the operating procedures of inter-reservoirs in the Ca River basin. After nearly 13 years of operation, Ban Ve Hydropower Plant has connected to the national grid nearly 13 billion kWh, making an important contribution to the task of ensuring energy security for the country, contributing to the State budget up to thousands of billions of VND and contributing significantly to the economic - industrial - tourism development of the Western Nghe An region.

The monitoring team visited the local people's lives in the Ban Ve lake area. Photo: D.C.

In addition to carrying out production and business tasks, Ban Ve Hydropower Company has always accompanied the local government in all community activities. Specifically, investing in education and health; supporting people when they suffer from natural disasters and floods; Programs to support the poor... From 2018 to 2022 alone, the total amount spent on social security work is over 26 billion VND.

Regarding the compensation, support and resettlement work of the Ban Ve hydropower project, it has been basically completed with the relocation, resettlement and stabilization of life for 3,022 households/14,341 people in 34 villages/9 communes of Tuong Duong and Ky Son districts. In the resettlement areas, infrastructure has been invested synchronously from electricity, roads, schools, cultural houses, domestic water, irrigation works, land reclamation for production, and construction of rice fields. Compensation and support regimes have been paid promptly, in accordance with regulations, and the support levels are higher than the local regulations at the same time, contributing to the early stabilization of people's lives.

Coal consumption reaches 13,000 - 17,000 tons/year

Khe Bo Coal Joint Stock Company, formerly Khe Bo Coal Mine, was established in October 1960 under Nghe An Industrial Company. During its operation, implementing the Party and State's policy on effective exploitation of resources, thoroughly exploiting to avoid waste, loss, and damage of resources, as well as ensuring good implementation of environmental protection work, the Company's production and business activities have had effective exploitation measures and policies.

The monitoring delegation visited the underground area at Khe Bo Coal Factory. Photo: D.C.

Currently, the annual output of raw coal production is from 14,000 to 17,500 tons/year; coal consumption is from 13,000 to 17,000 tons/year; revenue is from 28 to 35 billion VND/year. However, the stages of coal mining and processing (screening) into finished products are still highly manual, consuming a lot of workers' labor, facing many difficulties, and the auxiliary equipment serving production is almost outdated, old, and used from many years ago.

The monitoring delegation visited workers at the coal screening area at Khe Bo Coal Plant. Photo: D.C.

Pay attention to removing obstacles and problems

At the meeting, based on the reports of Ban Ve Hydropower Company and Khe Bo Coal Joint Stock Company, members of the monitoring delegation requested clarification of a number of contents. In particular, for Ban Ve Hydropower Company, the contents included resettlement, flood discharge issues, etc. Khe Bo Coal Joint Stock Company focused on ensuring labor safety...

Accordingly, the leaders of the two companies clarified and made recommendations on a number of issues.

Representatives of Ban Ve Hydropower Company and Khe Bo Coal Joint Stock Company answered and made recommendations to the monitoring team on a number of issues. Photo: D.C.

In her concluding remarks at the monitoring session, Comrade Thai Thi An Chung - Deputy Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation highly appreciated the implementation of policies and laws on energy development of the two companies. For Ban Ve Hydropower Company, this is a multi-purpose hydropower project that has made many contributions to the province over the years.

In the coming time, the Company needs to continue to make recommendations and coordinate to promptly resolve issues related to site clearance compensation and other issues arising outside the total project investment...

Comrade Nguyen Huu Hien, Vice Chairman of Tuong Duong District People's Committee, expressed his opinion to the monitoring delegation. Photo: D.C.

Along with that, on the basis of doing well in the past time, for example, the issue of flood discharge warning, communication... The Company needs to promote and continue to properly implement the reservoir operation process and flood and storm prevention plans to ensure dam safety, flood prevention plans for downstream areas, proactively respond to unusual weather. Actively participate in social security work, together with the locality to help poor and near-poor households in the area...

Comrade Thai Thi An Chung - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Deputy Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation delivered the concluding speech. Photo: D.C

With Khe Bo Coal Joint Stock Company, customers are increasing day by day, thereby ensuring the lives of workers. However, with the current reality, the Company needs to pay attention to investing in production lines, improving labor productivity, reducing human resources; paying attention to ensuring safety in production labor, specifically needing to regularly check and train on ensuring safety in the production process. Along with that, ensuring benefits, improving the environment to ensure the health of workers.