The Suoi Choang hydroelectric project is more than 10 years behind schedule.

Delayed by more than 10 years

Located deep upstream of Khe Choang stream, over 400 households in the villages of Khe Bu, Khe Na, and the Khe Nong cluster (Chau Khe commune, Con Cuong district) have lived here for generations. The rugged terrain and difficult transportation exacerbate the persistent hunger and poverty among the people, especially in areas inhabited by the Dan Lai ethnic group such as Khe Nong and Khe Bu. This is considered the most difficult and impoverished area in the entire Con Cuong district.

The roads leading to these villages are winding, steep, and rocky, crossing many streams. Because of these difficult transportation conditions, the education of the children here is even more challenging. Every year, at the beginning of a new school year or after the Lunar New Year, teachers and commune officials have to go to each house to encourage parents to send their children to school. One reason parents are reluctant to send their children to school is that, from the first grade onwards, the children have to travel dozens of kilometers along difficult roads to reach the school in the commune center.

According to the leader of Chau Khe commune, most households here are still classified as poor or near-poor. “Part of the reason stems from the Suoi Choang hydroelectric project, which has dragged on for 14 years without completion. The prolonged project has made infrastructure investment difficult, preventing the construction of roads to those villages. Therefore, development in that area is very difficult,” the Chau Khe commune leader said, adding that if the hydroelectric project impounds water, the road to Khe Bu, Khe Na, and Khe Nong will have to be submerged, which is why the authorities have not dared to invest in road construction. Not only is transportation problematic, but more than 400 households here still lack access to the national power grid.

The Suoi Choang hydroelectric project, which cuts across the Khe Choang stream, began construction in 2009. The investor was MECO Investment and Development Joint Stock Company. Initially, the project had a total investment of VND 74.5 billion, an approved installed capacity of 2.1 MW, and was expected to be completed in 2012 with an average annual electricity production of 14.2 million kWh. However, the project subsequently progressed slowly, even stalling for many years.

The Suoi Choang hydropower project was restarted at the end of 2017. However, from then until April 2021, the investor had to request three adjustments to the project's progress and total investment amount in the investment registration certificate. In the final adjustment, the total investment was increased to 145 billion VND, while the average annual electricity production remained unchanged; the project's implementation schedule was adjusted and extended to August 2022 for operation and power generation into the national grid. However, to date, a full year behind schedule compared to the last extension, the project is still not operational.

Delays in land clearance progress.

According to our reporter's investigation, as of now, the project has completed all auxiliary works such as site leveling, power and water supply for construction, warehouses, temporary shelters, and construction roads. The embankment has reached 100% completion; the project's management and operation building has reached 100% completion; the diversion dam has reached 100% completion; the spillway has reached 80% completion; the pressure pipeline has reached 100% completion; the water intake and sand discharge gates have reached 100% completion; the power plant and discharge channel have reached 100% completion; and the 35KV connection line has reached 100% completion.

To implement the project, in 2009, the People's Committee of Con Cuong district reclaimed more than 38 hectares of agricultural and forestry land from local people and the People's Committee of Chau Khe commune. However, to date, the investor has only completed compensation for the area around the main construction site of the Suoi Choang hydropower project, with an area of ​​only about 23,000 square meters.², and the compensation work for trees, crops, and structures for affected households in the hydropower reservoir area has been largely completed. However, compensation for affected agricultural and forestry land has yet to be paid.

In addition, 8 hectares of natural forest will be submerged under the reservoir if the hydropower plant becomes operational, but to date, the forest land has not been converted to other uses.

Mr. Kha Van Thuong, Chairman of the Chau Khe Commune People's Committee, said that the Suoi Choang hydropower plant affects both roads and power lines in the area. "To date, the investor has only compensated for crops and assets on the land. We have repeatedly requested the investor and relevant departments to complete the project soon so that people can stabilize their lives. At the same time, we need to speed up the land clearance process for the people," Mr. Thuong said.

According to our investigation, the Suoi Choang hydropower plant was built with an installed capacity of 4MW, as stated in the Investment Registration Certificate. However, in the Decision approving the planning of small and medium-sized hydropower plants in Nghe An province, the Suoi Choang hydropower plant was approved with a capacity of only 2.1MW.

Regarding the project's progress, the investor of the Suoi Choang hydropower plant recently submitted another application for project adjustments, requesting a revision of the project's implementation schedule to "operation and power generation into the national grid in June 2024".