A series of pumping stations in Nghe An are seriously degraded.
In Nghe An, there are currently a series of seriously degraded pumping stations, reducing irrigation efficiency, and in dire need of upgrading.
At this time, at Hung Chau Pumping Station located in Chau Nhan commune, Hung Nguyen district, workers are maintaining and repairing pumping equipment, preparing for spring rice production.
Mr. Le Van Hung - Head of Hung Chau pumping station said: The pumping station was built before 1980, has 8 units, each unit has a flow of 8,000 m33/h. The station is responsible for irrigating and draining water for 2,490 hectares of Chau Nhan, Hung Nghia, Hung Phuc, and Hung Thanh communes.
However, the pumping station has now seriously degraded, the hydraulic and electromechanical parts of the project are now degraded. Currently, 4/8 generators are damaged and cannot continue to operate for irrigation.
In the same situation, Nam Dan district has many damaged pumping stations. Mr. Nguyen Son Tra - Director of Nam Dan Irrigation Enterprise said: The enterprise has 17 electric pumping stations along Lam River, of which 6 are degraded, most of which have been used for over 30 years.
Bau Non pumping station was built in the 1990s, located in Nam Anh commune, Nam Dan district, with the task of supplying water for more than 417 hectares of rice. Currently, there are 4 units, each unit has a flow rate of 1,000 m3.3/h are all seriously damaged. The machinery system, equipment, and station floor frame legs are rusted, the electrical cabinet is old and dilapidated; Sometimes the pump breaks down while in operation and has to be stopped for repair.
After many years of use, the management house and station grounds have seriously degraded, with leaking roofs, cracked walls, and damaged electrical systems, making it very dangerous for workers. The 2km long water channel leading to the pumping station, and the section after the water intake culvert, has been severely silted up, affecting the water supply to the pumping station.
Nam Dan Irrigation Enterprise manages 46 pumping stations serving irrigation and drainage for 30,000 hectares of rice in Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen, Nghi Loc districts and Vinh city. Currently, there are over 30 pumping stations that are degraded, greatly affecting irrigation pumping for production in the area. Every year, the Company has to spend 7-8 billion VND on maintenance, repair, replacement and temporary repair of damaged equipment.
Due to the old and outdated pumping station system, it consumes electricity and increases the number of workers operating the water pressure. Every year, the Company has to spend an additional 8-10 billion VND on electricity, accounting for 1/4 of the total operating costs. The unit is in dire need of the State's attention and investment in upgrading the degraded and damaged pumping station system to meet the irrigation needs of local people.
Also in the same situation, there are currently a series of pumping stations in Anh Son, Tan Ky, Thanh Chuong, Do Luong districts... located along the Con River, Lam River, rusting, low usage value. For example, the discharge tank has cracks; meters, switches, ammeters, relays of all kinds are degraded, cracked...
Among them, there are many pumping stations in Tan Ky and Thanh Chuong in the hot season, the river water level drops low, they have to add more water suction pipes, or the pots are "suspended", many rice fields are dry.
Mr. Nguyen Xuan Son - Head of Construction Management Department (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development) said: Nghe An currently has over 500 pumping stations, mainly managed by agricultural cooperatives and irrigation units. In recent years, by combining capital sources, Nghe An has upgraded about 50 pumping stations, concentrated in Do Luong, Yen Thanh, Nghia Dan districts...
However, the rest were built from 1970-1990, most of the stations have not been renovated or upgraded but only repaired to continue operating, so many pumping stations have been damaged and have not played their role in preventing and fighting natural disasters for agricultural production.
To meet the irrigation needs of the province, in 2024, the Provincial People's Committee is proposing to borrow over 593 billion VND from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to upgrade the system of 60/74 pumping stations along the Lam River, including the districts of Anh Son, Thanh Chuong, Do Luong, Hung Nguyen, Nam Dan. The project is expected to be implemented from 2025-2028 and will be put into operation by 2029.
In addition, the Provincial People's Committee is proposing an investment project using ODA loans to upgrade the Southern irrigation system, mainly upgrading the canal system and building a new pumping station system.
The Department of Agriculture is requesting communes to review seriously damaged and degraded pumping stations, continue to develop investment policies to advise relevant departments and agencies to submit to the Provincial People's Committee and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; mobilize legal capital sources and call for investment to repair and upgrade to ensure continued operation of water supply to serve agricultural production for localities in the province.
