Urgent safety check of irrigation and hydroelectric dams

In order to ensure the safety of hydroelectric and irrigation works and people in downstream areas during the 2013 storm season, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai requested ministries, branches and localities to urgently inspect and assess the safety level of dams of hydroelectric and irrigation reservoirs.

(Illustration photo: VNA)

Accordingly, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai requested the Ministry of Construction to review and supplement regulations on quality management of construction works of irrigation and hydropower reservoirs to improve the effectiveness of law enforcement and management of State management agencies at the central and local levels. Review and supplement regulations on design, construction, capacity and experience requirements of design, construction and supervision consulting units for irrigation and hydropower dams.

At the same time, the Ministry of Construction coordinates with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to organize inspections and evaluate the safety level of dams of hydroelectric and irrigation reservoirs; synthesize and report to the Prime Minister.

The Deputy Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to develop a plan with localities to focus on overcoming shortcomings in the quality and safety management of irrigation reservoirs; ensuring safety for works and people. In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Trade resolutely requires hydropower plants to stop storing water and generating electricity when detecting risks that threaten the safety of works and the lives of people downstream of hydropower dams. Water storage and electricity generation will only be allowed to resume when safety conditions are met according to regulations.

The Deputy Prime Minister also requested the People's Committees of provinces and cities to direct the Departments of Industry and Trade, Construction, Agriculture and Rural Development and other specialized agencies to strengthen supervision and inspection of investment management in construction of irrigation and hydropower works in the province. At the same time, strengthen inspection and supervision of safety, organize supervision of dam safety inspection; review the implementation of management and operation of hydropower and irrigation works in the area managed by the locality, ensure compliance with regulations on technical safety management, and operate according to procedures approved by competent authorities.

If any risk to the safety of the project is detected, the investor is required to stop storing water and generating electricity until the safety conditions as prescribed are met./.

According to (TTXVN) - LH