Receiving low voltage rural power grid: Efficiency from Yen Thanh

(Baonghean) - The Government's policy is to take over the rural low-voltage grid so that the Electricity sector can sell electricity directly to the majority of people. In Yen Thanh district, the results of this correct policy have contributed to reducing electricity loss, improving electricity quality, promoting economic growth in the area and improving the lives of rural people.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Thang, owner of an agricultural processing facility in Loc Thanh - Nam Thanh, confided: Our facility invested in rice processing. Previously, the electricity was weak and unstable, easily damaging machinery and equipment, but now the electricity quality is stable, my family has invested in modern machinery to process and sell over 200 million VND worth of rice every day, creating stable jobs for over 15 workers with stable salaries. In the hamlets of Vinh Thanh, Loc Thanh, Lam Xuyen, the electrical system has been renewed, with new poles and covered wires to ensure safety. Mr. Nguyen Tho Bac in Vinh Thanh happily confided: "These hamlets are at the end of the power source, the wires are not safe, only one light bulb is lit "sometimes bright, sometimes dim", but now we can use TVs, refrigerators, milling machines and water heaters...".

Yen Thanh electricity workers maintain a transformer station in Yen Thanh town.

Mr. Phan The Trung - Chairman of Nam Thanh Commune People's Committee said: Previously, the rural voltage system in Nam Thanh was seriously degraded, with only 2 transformer stations serving the entire commune. After receiving the rural low voltage grid, the commune was invested in 2 more transformer stations, bringing the total number to 4 stations. Since 2012, Nam Thanh has continued to receive investment from the KFW project (loan capital from the German Reconstruction Bank) of about 2.5 billion VND to renovate the rural power grid. Up to now, 7/9 hamlets in Nam Thanh have replaced bare wires with safe coated wires, replaced degraded electric poles, and electric poles not in the right planning place such as in home gardens have been relocated to a safe place. 100% of electricity meters have been replaced, 1,100 households in the commune directly buy electricity at the electricity price regulated by the Government. Thanks to the reception of the rural low voltage grid, power loss has been reduced. Previously, some hamlets had losses of 35-40%, but now it has been reduced to 10-12%. Nam Thanh currently has two hamlets, Son Thanh and Hop Thanh, which are far from the commune center and have large areas, so they have not yet invested in the power grid. The commune is looking forward to the attention of the electricity industry to renovate and invest in a synchronous power grid.

In Lien Thanh commune, thanks to the stable power source, service industries have developed quite strongly. Mr. Nguyen Nhu Tuyet - owner of an auto repair shop said: Previously, the electricity was not guaranteed for welding and air pumping. Now, after being renovated, the power source has stabilized, we boldly invested hundreds of millions of VND to expand the scale to attract auto repair of all kinds. Along Cau Thong hamlet are dozens of establishments such as ice production, restaurants, hotels, 2 petrol businesses... Mr. Nguyen The Nong - Vice Chairman of Lien Thanh Commune People's Committee added: Previously, Lien Thanh only had 2 transformer stations, the power grid system was almost degraded, after taking over the low voltage grid, Lien Thanh received 2 new transformer stations worth 1 billion VND, invested over 2.5 billion VND to replace more than 17 km of covered power lines, and replaced over 20 power poles that did not ensure quality. Thanks to the upgrade and renovation, the power system in Lien Thanh is over 90% guaranteed to have good power quality. During the rainy and stormy season, there is less worry about bare electric wires being cut across the road like before.

Like many localities, in Yen Thanh before 2008, rural electricity business was mainly managed by electricity service cooperatives. The limitations of these organizations were limited management and expertise, many people were untrained, high labor costs, increasing electricity prices, causing disadvantages for users. Electricity service cooperatives did not account for revenues and expenditures in accordance with regulations; the meter system did not ensure quality according to the provisions of the Measurement Ordinance. There were no conditions to invest in renovating and upgrading the power grid system, leading to large electricity losses.

Mr. Ho Si Vinh - Director of Yen Thanh Power Company said: Implementing the policy of handing over the rural low voltage grid to the power industry for management, up to now, Yen Thanh Power Company has received 25/38 communes and towns to sign electricity purchase contracts with over 43,000 customers. After receiving, Yen Thanh Power Company has focused on renovating and investing in the power grid system of the communes, with an investment capital of over 22 billion VND from the Northern Power Corporation. From this capital, Yen Thanh Power Company focused on replacing meters, replacing broken wires, porcelain beams, conductors and adding grounding, clearing corridors and repairing and renovating parts of the old, unsafe power lines of all newly received communes.

In 2012, Yen Thanh continued to receive investment of 47 billion VND from the KFW project (a loan from the German Reconstruction Bank) for over 20 communes and towns. In 2014, the Northern Power Corporation continued to invest in upgrading more difficult communes. Up to this point, the whole district has 22 communes and towns that have basically completed the rural power grid system with an investment of 2.5 - 4 billion VND from the projects. After taking over the rural low voltage grid, thanks to the investment in renovation, the voltage quality has been stable, meeting the production and living needs of rural people. The power loss rate has decreased from more than 30% before taking over to 10%, and people can buy electricity at the right price as regulated by the Government.

Article and photos:Van Truong