Nghe An: Many pumping stations are seriously degraded

Van Truong• DNUM_BCZADZCACC 16:00

(Baonghean.vn) - Due to lack of investment funds for upgrading, many pumping stations in Nghe An are currently degraded, with outdated machinery, reducing irrigation efficiency.

Linh Son commune electric pumping station, Anh Son district seriously degraded. Photo: Van Truong

Linh Son commune electric pumping station, districtMr. SonBuilt in 1982, irrigating 40 hectares of rice, the station has now seriously degraded. The machinery and equipment system is outdated, the station floor frame is rusty, the electrical cabinet is dilapidated; every time it rains, water leaks into the station house.

A worker operating this pumping station said: Before starting the machine, the pump must be “dried” for 2-3 hours. Sometimes, while operating, the pump breaks down and has to be stopped for repair, not meeting the timely needs of rice seedling and rice planting for the people. Anh Son district has 8 electric pumping stations, currently 4 of which are degraded and in dire need of upgrading and repairing to ensure rice irrigation.

In Nam Dan district, there are also 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 4 pumping stations are degraded, most of which have been used for over 30 years. Of which, pumping stations No. 2-3 irrigating 250 hectares of Nam Linh and Nam Xuan communes are seriously degraded, the station house is damaged, the engine is weak, so incidents often occur, taking time to repair. During the rainy season, pumping stations must monitor the water level to pull the pump engine up high to avoid damage. Every year, before planting rice, maintenance and repair costs from 30-50 million VND/pumping station.

Pumping station No. 2 of Nam Linh commune (Nam Dan) has been degraded for many years. Photo: Van Truong

Mr. Thai Van Hung - Director of Nam Irrigation Company Limited added: Management unit 36pumping station,Serving irrigation for 30,000 hectares of rice, there are currently 29 degraded pumping stations. Every year, the company maintains and repairs any damage.

Due to the old and outdated pumping station system, the pumping process must be performed by "squeezing" water, consuming electricity, increasing the number of workers operating to squeeze water. Every year, the company has to invest from 8 to 9 billion VND in electricity, accounting for 1/4 of the total operating costs. Because the electric pumping station is degraded and cannot meet irrigation needs, the unit has to buy dozens of additional field oil pumps to "save" the rice when necessary.

The patchwork straw system does not ensure operation. Photo: Van Truong

Also in the same situation, Tan Ky and Thanh Chuong districts currently have many pumping stations located along the Con and Lam rivers, built before and after the 1980s, which are now seriously degraded. Especially when the weather is hot and the water level is low, the pumping stations have to add more water suction pipes, dredge silted canals, increase the water injection time, consuming a lot of electricity and leading to other costs.

Mr. Nguyen Truong Thanh - Head of the Irrigation Sub-Department said: Nghe An currently has over 500 pumping stations, managed by agricultural cooperatives and irrigation units. The pumping station system was built from the 70s to the 90s, so it has been damaged and degraded.

Pumping Station No. 2 Nam Linh (Nam Dan) is outdated and operates inefficiently. Photo: Van Truong

Every year, the cost of repairing pumping stations in the province and the amount of electricity consumed due to machinery deterioration amounts to tens of billions of VND. Therefore, in the long term, the province should re-plan the pumping station system; have a synchronous, long-term investment plan, avoid scattered investment, both saving costs and bringing efficiency in serving agricultural production.

Van Truong