It is expected that by the end of 2022, all villages and hamlets in Nghe An will have electricity.

On the afternoon of November 30, the Ethnic Committee of the Provincial People's Council had a meeting with the Department of Industry and Trade under the program of supervising the implementation of a number of investment policies on electricity development to serve mountainous and border areas in the province. Photo: Mai Hoa

According to the report ofDepartment of Industry and TradeIn 2015, there were 280 villages and hamlets in 10 districts and towns in the province without electricity.

Up to now, after 5 years of implementing the decisions of the Central and the province related to bringing electricity to mountainous and border areas, the whole province has invested in providing electricity to 86 villages and hamlets.

Thus, the whole province still has 194villages without electricity(not including the project to bring electricity to Mat Island).

The Ethnic Council of the Provincial People's Council supervises the implementation of the project to bring electricity to villages and hamlets without electricity in Quy Chau district. Photo: Mai Hoa

Also according to the Department of Industry and Trade, out of a total of 194 villages and hamlets without electricity, 32 villages and hamlets in 12 communes, in 4 districts: Tuong Duong, Ky Son, Quy Chau, Que Phong are constructing electricity, expected to complete the electricity connection before December 31, 2020.

Based on the report of the Department of Industry and Trade, at the meeting, the issue that members were most concerned about was when will people in villages and hamlets without electricity have electricity for daily use?

Mr. Tran Thanh Hai - Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade said that it is expected that by the end of 2022, the provision of electricity to all villages and hamlets without electricity in the province will be completed. Photo: Mai Hoa

In addition, some members also raised issues related to grid safety and power quality; implementation of electricity price management and electricity price reduction policies for policy beneficiaries, poor households, production and business households affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, etc.

Explaining the issues raised by the Ethnic Committee of the Provincial People's Council, Mr. Tran Thanh Hai - Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade affirmed that, based on its functions and tasks, in the past time, the department has actively advised the Provincial People's Committee and coordinated with the Electricity sector to implement the project of investing in electricity supply each year according to the investment roadmap, striving to complete the supply of electricity to all villages and hamlets without electricity in the province by the end of 2022.

The electricity grid has changed the lives, production and business of people in many villages and hamlets of Tri Le commune, Que Phong district. Photo: Mai Hoa

Specifically, in 2021, 70 villages will be deployed and completed to provide electricity; the remaining will be focused on in 2022, of which 24 villages due to complex terrain (including Mat Island) will implement the project to provide electricity using renewable energy sources.

Regarding the quality of electricity in villages and hamlets after being pulled and supplied with electricity, Deputy Director Tran Thanh Hai also admitted that due to the complex terrain, the large tree system and the power line, some localities have only one power line such as Que Phong and Quy Chau, so it still affects the stability and quality of the power source.

Head of the Ethnic Affairs Committee of the Provincial People's Council Lo Thi Kim Ngan concluded at the meeting. Photo: Mai Hoa

Concluding the meeting, on behalf of the working delegation, Head of the Ethnic Minorities Committee of the Provincial People's Council Lo Thi Kim Ngan emphasized: Mountainous and ethnic minority areas, especially remote areas, are considered "lowland" areas in socio-economic development.

On the other hand, among the four important infrastructure factors: electricity, roads, schools, and stations, electricity is still the number 1 priority. Electricity not only serves people's daily life, but more importantly, it serves people's information needs, production development, and business.

From that analysis, the Head of the Ethnic Committee of the Provincial People's Council requested the Department of Industry and Trade to continue to actively advise the Provincial People's Committee, mobilize and integrate capital sources to speed up the implementation of projects to bring electricity to villages and hamlets without electricity.

Along with that, we need to pay attention to management, ensure grid safety and power quality as well as fully resolve electricity policies for people, including arising problems...