Nghe An: Many consequences due to slow progress of hydropower projects
(Baonghean.vn) - There are hydropower plants that have been under construction for more than 15 years and are still not completed, while some projects were approved long ago but have not yet been implemented. Local authorities and residents have repeatedly requested that these projects be removed from the planning as soon as possible.
Construction started before completion of procedures
For many years now, every time voters meet, people in Tien Phong commune (Que Phong district) have mentioned the Tien Phong Hydropower Project. This is one of the hydropower projects that is behind schedule and has stopped implementation due to not converting the purpose of forest use.
“People have many opinions. Not only the people, but the local government also wants to quickly remove this slow-progressing hydropower project from the planning,” said Mr. Vo Khanh Toan - Chairman of Tien Phong Commune People's Committee.
Tien Phong Hydropower Project is located on the Nam Nien River, passing through Tien Phong Commune. This area is deep in the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve. This hydropower project has an installed capacity of only 6MW, with a total expected investment of more than 211 billion VND.
Although the capacity is small, when built, this hydroelectric project will have a significant impact on the forest area. Of the area planned for hydroelectric power, nearly 5 hectares have not yet been converted to other uses. Of which, more than 2.6 hectares of land with natural forest are planned for protection and special-use forests.
Although there are many areas of forest land that have not been converted to other uses, in March 2018, the investor still started construction.hydroelectricTien Phong. “When we discovered the investor bringing in machinery to start construction, we immediately showed up to make a record, asked them to stop, and take the machinery out of the forest,” said Mr. Vo Khanh Toan.
The People's Committee of Que Phong district then issued a document, requesting the investor to strictly comply with the provisions of the law, complete the documents and procedures before starting construction. Therefore, up to now, this project is still only on paper.
Although the hydropower plant is small, it has a huge impact on the forest. That area is a headwater forest, with many ancient trees. In addition, there are 3 beautiful waterfalls there, which are favorite destinations of the local people. If the hydropower plant is built, all 3 of these waterfalls will be wiped out.
Regarding this issue, a representative of the Department of Industry and Trade said that the Tien Phong Hydropower Plant project is behind schedule and is currently suspended to convert the purpose of forest use under the project construction planning, which has not been converted to the purpose of forest use according to the regulations of the Central Party Secretariat in Directive No. 13 on strengthening forest management, protection and development. Most recently, on February 17, 2023, the Department of Industry and Trade sent an official dispatch to the Department of Planning and Investment to advise the Provincial People's Committee to establish an inspection team for projects that are behind schedule and not implemented in the province, including the Tien Phong Hydropower Project.
For this project, the Department of Industry and Trade will direct the investor to urgently complete the dossier to submit to the Prime Minister for permission to change the purpose of forest use, request the investor to develop an implementation roadmap and have a progress commitment if the Provincial People's Committee approves the extension of the investment certificate. In case the investor does not have a clear progress roadmap and feasible solution, it is recommended to terminate the project investment.
Many villages are empty because of slow hydropower development
Similar to Tien Phong commune, for many years now, the government and people of My Ly commune (Ky Son district) have also frequently expressed their opinions and requests to remove the My Ly Hydropower Project from the planning. This hydropower project has been slow to implement, greatly affecting the lives of local people.
To build hydropower plants, since 2007, the areas expected to be affected have stopped investment and construction. That is why villages like Xop Duong, Cha Nga... are still called: "Village with many empty areas".
The people there lack everything, we also wanted to invest in construction but got stuck with the My Ly hydropower project so we had to give up. Now in these villages there is still no electricity, no phone signal, only bumpy dirt roads. There is a shortage of water for daily use but we cannot invest in building a water plant for the people, they have to trek through the forest for kilometers to carry each can of water. The schools are dilapidated, recently we had to call for charity, only to build a temporary school. In addition, another volunteer group also supported the construction of a small bridge to help the people reduce their hardship.
Not only My Ly commune, in Ky Son district there is also Nam Mo 1 Hydropower Project (Ta Ca commune), which was approved for planning at the same time but has not been implemented yet, affecting people's lives. In 2014, the My Ly Hydropower Project (capacity of 180 MW) and Nam Mo 1 (capacity of 90 MW) were assigned by the Prime Minister to My Ly - Nam Mo Hydropower Joint Stock Company as the investor.
According to the reporter's investigation, these two projects are part of the national power development plan for the 2011-2020 period with a view to 2030. The project was appraised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade for construction investment in 2016 and the Prime Minister agreed to assign the investor to approve the investment project to build the My Ly and Nam Mo 1 hydropower plants.
According to the report of the Department of Industry and Trade, since 2021, the Provincial People's Committee has issued a document requesting to remove the My Ly and Nam Mo 1 Hydropower Projects from the adjusted Power Plan VII and Power Plan VIII. However, in Document No. 4778/TTr-BCT of the Ministry of Industry and Trade dated August 11, 2022 on the approval of the National Power Development Planning Project for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2045, the My Ly and Nam Mo 1 Hydropower Projects are still on the list of projects mentioned in the draft Power Plan VIII, the adjusted capacity scale of the My Ly project from 180 MW to 120 MW; Nam Mo 1 project from 90 MW to 50 MW, the Ministry of Industry and Trade plans to implement the project in the period of 2021-2025. Therefore, the project does not have a clear basis to propose solutions to speed up the progress and the province's viewpoint is to propose not to continue implementing the project.
Not only are there projects that have not been implemented, in Nghe An province there are also projects that have started construction but have not been completed for many years. In particular, the Suoi Choang Hydropower Project (Chau Khe Commune, Con Cuong), which started construction in 2009. The project initially had a total investment of 74.5 billion VND, the approved installed capacity was 2.1 MW, expected to be completed in 2012, with an average annual electricity production of 14.2 million kWh. However, the project was then sluggishly constructed, even stagnant for many years. It was not until the end of 2017 that the Suoi Choang Hydropower Project was restarted. However, from then until April 2021, the investor requested 3 adjustments to the progress and total investment in the Investment Registration Certificate.
In addition, there is the Chau Thon Hydropower Project (Que Phong District). This project started construction in 2007, with a capacity of only 18 MW, and is expected to be completed in 2009. However, after many years of slow progress, the investor recently requested to adjust the planning, proposing to split it into two projects, including the Chau Thon Hydropower Project with a capacity of 29.8 MW; the Chau Thon A Hydropower Project with a capacity of 4 MW.
Thus, the Chau Thon Hydropower Project is proposed to increase its capacity from 18 MW to 33.8 MW. According to the report of the Department of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has just approved the adjustment of the planning for this project. The Department of Industry and Trade has requested the investor to develop an implementation roadmap and commit to the progress.
