Problems and obstacles in Ban Ve Hydropower Project will be resolved completely!

Clear legal basis

After the historic flood in 2018 that occurred in Tuong Duong district, the existing problems in compensation and resettlement support of the Ban Ve Hydropower Project were conveyed by Nghe An Newspaper through many articles. Because they have not been completely resolved, in November 2024, Nghe An Newspaper continued to mention these issues through articles.“5 years since the Government's direction, the problems in the Ban Ve Hydropower Project have not been resolved”; “Resolving the problems in the Ban Ve Hydropower Project: The top is pushing, the bottom is waiting, the investor is… motionless”.

On the side of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district, recognizing this as an urgent issue, on December 5, 2024, they continued to send Official Dispatch No. 1817/UBND-NL to Vietnam Electricity Group, Power Generation Corporation 1 (EVNGENCO1) and the Provincial People's Committee, requesting attention to thoroughly resolve the issue.

According to the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district, currently local people as well as public opinion in the province are very interested, especially after the direction of the Government Office in Notice No. 7505/VPCP dated October 14, 2024. In particular, through meetings with National Assembly deputies (October 5, 2024) and the Provincial People's Council (November 7, 2024), voters are looking forward to and waiting (from 2018 to now, more than 6 years) for the investor of Ban Ve Hydropower Project to soon arrange funds to implement the above items for people in the project-affected area to soon stabilize their lives (have roads, electricity, water for daily use...).

Tuong Duong District People's Committee also mentioned the directions of the Government leaders through the periods; the Ministry of Industry and Trade's implementation of the direction of the Government leaders through Official Dispatch No. 8684/BCT-DL dated October 30, 2024; and the direction of Vietnam Electricity Group through Documents No. 6345/EVN-QLXD dated November 8, 2024, No. 6549/EVN-QLXD dated November 17, 2024, the content of which assigned Power Generation Corporation 1 (EVNGENCO1) as the investor, to preside over and coordinate with local authorities to urgently implement the handling of existing problems in compensation, support and resettlement of the Ban Ve Hydropower Project.

To that end, the report of Power Generation Corporation 1 through Document No. 171/BC-EVNGENCO1 dated November 26, 2024, still concerns that it does not have enough authority to decide on additional resettlement support outside the policy framework for the project; requesting Vietnam Electricity Group to have a plan to arrange funds to support and resettle, helping people affected by the Ban Ve Hydropower Project stabilize their lives, feel secure to develop production according to the direction of the Government in Notice No. 143/TB-VPCP dated April 13, 2019 and Official Dispatch No. 7505/VPCP dated October 14, 2024.

Because Vietnam Electricity also received Report No. 171/BC-EVNGENCO1 dated November 26, 2024 of Power Generation Corporation 1, on December 9, 2025, Document No. 7098/EVN-QLXD was sent to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. However, in response to Vietnam Electricity via Document No. 10644/BCT-DL dated December 27, 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Trade affirmed that, with the direction of the Government leaders (Notice No. 143/TB-VPCP dated April 13, 2019 and Official Dispatch No. 7505/VPCP dated October 14, 2024), there is sufficient legal basis for Vietnam Electricity and the People's Committee of Nghe An province to implement additional resettlement support for the Ban Ve Hydropower Project.

Specifically, the Ministry of Industry and Trade commented:“According to Notice No. 143/TB-VPCP dated April 13, 2019 of the Government Office, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung concluded at the meeting on resolving issues after the 2018 flood, existing problems in compensation and resettlement support of the Project, specifically as follows: "In order to soon stabilize the lives of people and ethnic minorities in the Vietnam - Laos border area due to having to hand over the construction site of the Ban Ve Hydropower Project before the 2019 flood season, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is requested to direct the Vietnam Electricity Group to urgently coordinate with the People's Committee of Nghe An province and Tuong Duong and Thanh Chuong districts to review existing problems related to compensation, support, resettlement and damage after storm No. 4 (August 2018) of people in the Ban Ve Hydropower Project area and the affected area of ​​the Project. On that basis, consider and handle financial support from the investment capital of the Project. Ban Ve Hydropower Project in accordance with current regulations, to help people in the Project area overcome existing problems and difficulties in compensation, support and resettlement.

In addition, the direction of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha in Official Dispatch No. 7505/VPCP-NN dated October 14, 2024 of the Government Office is as follows: “Based on Report No. 218/BC-BCT dated August 28, 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam Electricity Group, and the People's Committee of Nghe An province, according to their assigned authority, functions and tasks, shall review and handle in accordance with the provisions of current law and the direction of the Government leaders in Notice No. 143/TB-VPCP dated April 13, 2019 of the Government Office; promptly coordinate and implement measures to stabilize people's lives”.

Based on the instructions of the Government leaders in Documents No. 143/TB-VPCP and No. 7505/VPCP-NN, the Ministry of Industry and Trade assesses that there is sufficient legal basis for EVN and the People's Committee of Nghe An province to organize the implementation of the contents according to Report No. 218/BC-BCT dated August 28, 2024 on additional resettlement support for the project. The Ministry of Industry and Trade requests EVN to urgently and seriously implement the instructions of the Government leaders on providing additional support to people in the project-affected area according to the work and values ​​agreed with the People's Committee of Nghe An province in Document No. 4415/EVN-QLXD dated August 5, 2024 of EVN.

Also in Document No. 10644/BCT-DL dated December 27, 2024, the Ministry of Industry and Trade added the following opinion: "In case EVN assesses that the contents of the instructions of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha in Document No. 7505/VPCP-NN dated October 14, 2024 of the Government Office are unclear, EVN is requested to directly report to the Deputy Prime Minister and be responsible to the Prime Minister for the delay in implementing the instructions of the Government leaders".

Urgently implement the direction of the Ministry of Industry and Trade

This is the direction of Vietnam Electricity Group to Power Generation Corporation 1, through Official Dispatch No. 541/EVN-QLXD dated January 22, 2025. The full text of Official Dispatch No. 541/EVN-QLXD is as follows:

“Vietnam Electricity Group (the Group) has received Document No. 10644/BCT-DL dated December 27, 2024 of the Ministry of Industry and Trade on urging the implementation of additional resettlement support for the Ban Ve Hydropower Project, Nghe An province (as attached). Regarding this issue, the Group has the following comments:

The additional resettlement support to stabilize the lives of people in the project area has been requested by the locality since 2018. The Group and EVNGENCO1 have repeatedly reported to competent authorities to propose approval in principle for implementation. Based on the opinions of the Government leaders in Notice No. 143/TB-VPCP dated April 13, 2019 and Document No. 7505/VPCP-NN dated October 14, 2024 of the Government Office, the Group requests EVNGENCO1, as the investor of the Ban Ve Hydropower Project, to proactively coordinate with the People's Committee of Nghe An province and related units to urgently implement additional support for people in the project-affected area according to the direction of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Document No. 10644/BCT-DL mentioned above. Request EVNGENCO1 to base on the direction to implement".

In response to the direction of Vietnam Electricity Group, on the same day of January 22, 2025, Power Generation Corporation 1 issued Document No. 174/EVNGENCO1-QLDTXD on the implementation of additional resettlement support for the Ban Ve Hydropower Project, Nghe An province to the People's Committees of Tuong Duong and Thanh Chuong districts. Here, Power Generation Corporation 1 announced that Vietnam Electricity Group issued Document No. 541/EVN-QLXD directing the implementation of additional resettlement support for the Ban Ve Hydropower Project. Thereby, informing the People's Committees of Tuong Duong and Thanh Chuong districts that "Based on the direction of the Government, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and EVN, EVNGENCO1 is ready to implement additional support for people in the affected area of ​​the Ban Ve Hydropower Project according to the agreed content with the locality". At the same time, it is requested that the People's Committees of Tuong Duong and Thanh Chuong districts arrange time (from February 4, 2025 to February 15, 2025) to organize a meeting to unify the plan to implement additional resettlement support for the Ban Ve Hydropower Project.

Regarding this information, Nghe An Newspaper reporters connected with Mr. Nguyen Huu Hien - Vice Chairman of Tuong Duong District People's Committee; Le Dinh Thanh - Vice Chairman of Thanh Chuong District People's Committee. Through that, it was discussed that this is very positive information, completely resolving the long-standing problems in compensation and resettlement support of Ban Ve Hydropower Project.

Mr. Le Dinh Thanh - Vice Chairman of Thanh Chuong District People's Committee said: "The meeting will be held on February 6, 2024 with the participation of both Tuong Duong and Thanh Chuong districts. At this meeting, the plan to implement additional resettlement support for the Ban Ve Hydropower Project will be agreed upon, thereby completely resolving all existing problems...".