Highlanders fear power turbines will be swept away by floods

Located nearly 70km from the center of Muong Xen town, Na Ngoi is the locality with the most villages in Ky Son district with 19 villages. The people's lives face many difficulties, of which there are still 4 villages that do not have national grid electricity including: Phu Quac 1, Phu Quac 2, Phu Quac 3 and Huoi Xai with about 150 households.

Phu Quac 1 village is home to 38 Mong households with a total of 213 people. Mr. Mua Ba Ly - head of Phu Quac 1 village shared: "Our family's life here is very difficult, there is a hydroelectric plant but no electricity, some families have to use oil lamps and lard for lighting, those households with better conditions pool their money to buy water turbines to install in the streams to generate electricity, but this source of electricity is very weak, and depends entirely on the weather so it cannot be used regularly...".

The water-electric turbine that Mr. Ly mentioned is often called a water turbine, sold on the market for 2 - 5 million VND, usually divided into 2 types: standing and sitting machines depending on the water source and terrain of each place. This electric turbine operates based on the mechanism of relying on water flow to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Over the past years, people in Sa Vang, Na Nhu, Nhan Ly villages, Ta Ca commune, Ky Son district have gradually become accustomed to using hydroelectric turbines to generate electricity. Because the cost is quite high compared to the income of the people here, households often pool money to install them.

Mr. Moong Van Dao in Na Nhu village said that every 3-5 households contribute to buy 1 mini water and electricity turbine. The small 3kg machine, with electric wire, costs from 2.5 - 3 million VND/set. The large 8kg machine costs about 8 million VND, can provide electricity for 5 light bulbs and 5 electric fans along with charging phone batteries.

Although it is quite popular, hydroelectric turbines currently face many shortcomings. Mr. Hoa Van Quyet - head of Sa Vang village, Ta Ca commune shared: This power source depends entirely on water sources. Therefore, it is very difficult to install in villages that do not have streams running through them, or are far from streams. If you build a turbine, you also have to run a very long power line to the house.

Besides, because this is a mini generator, the electric current is very weak, only enough for lighting, cannot be used to use other appliances such as rice cookers, refrigerators, televisions... Even charging the phone to communicate all day cannot fully charge the battery...

In addition, Mr. Quyet said, “If the flood comes suddenly and we don’t have time to bring the turbine back, it will be swept away. In fact, my family had many machines swept away in previous years. After the flood, we had to spend millions to buy another machine.”

Not only that, this source of electricity also depends greatly on the weather, in the hot season, rivers and streams dry up, the water flow is very weak, and in the rainy season, only a small amount can be used. Therefore, this is only a temporary source of electricity, not suitable for long-term use.

Currently, in Nghe An, there are still 119 villages without electricity. Of these, Ky Son has 69 villages, the locality with the most villages without national grid./.