Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh suggesting that the whole construction site strive to shorten the construction schedule by 6 months.
Construction effort
Reporting to the Prime Minister and the delegation, Mr. Pham Hong Phuong - the Vice President of Vietnam Electricity (EVN) said: The Expanded Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant Project is located on the right bank of the existing Hoa Binh Hydropower Dam. The plant is located in Phuong Lam ward, and the water intake and the inlet canal are in the wards of Thai Binh, Phuong Lam, Thai Thinh, and Hoa Binh city (Hoa Binh province).
The project is invested in and constructed to increase the peak capacity for the national power system, maximum exploiting the excess discharged water source annually in the flood season of the existing Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant to generate electricity. The project improves the frequency regulation and frequency stability of the national power system, contributing to reducing the operating costs of the national power system, and at the same time reducing the working intensity of the existing generating units, thereby prolonging the life of the equipment, saving maintenance and repair costs.
The project consists of a capacity scale of 2 x 240MW units, with a total investment of more than VND 9,220 billion. Power generation progress of unit 1 is expected in June 2025; unit 2 is expected in July 2025; Completion of the project is expected in August 2025. Once completed, annually the plant generates about 500 million kWh for the national electricity system.
The construction was ordered to start on 10 January 2021. Immediately after that, the contractors gathered manpower and equipment to organize the construction of a series of project items.
Up to now, the water intake and inlet channel items have completed foundation pit digging to the height of 122.5m, and currently constructing stone digging from the height of 122.5m to the height of 58.5m.
The progress of foundation pit digging, which has been completed to a height of 75m, is currently stone digging from a height of 75m to a height of 31m. The plant area will start pouring concrete in June 2023.
Regarding the reinforcement to ensure the safety of the plant foundation pit: the filled stone reached 74.8%, and the drugged and reinforced auxiliary tunnel reached 89%. Currently, the project is organizing reinforcement construction to ensure safety before blasting the main tunnel.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh giving gifts to encourage engineers and workers to participate in the project.
Working together, completing the project earlier than planned
The Prime Minister said that, First, the successful construction of this project is to pay tribute to the previous generations, who sacrificed for the century-old construction of the existing Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant.
Secondly, this work has an important meaning, contributing to ensuring national energy security, especially in the current situation that Vietnam is transitioning energy. Therefore, the construction process needs to put the quality and safety of the work on top; at the same time arranged 3 shifts, and 4 crews to speed up the construction progress, shortening the schedule by 6 months.
Third, during the construction process, it is necessary to ensure the ecological environment and sustainable development for Hoa Binh province.
Fourth, the units participating in the project need to coordinate closely and smoothly, any problems will be handled immediately in order to shorten the construction schedule.
Fifth, special attention should be paid to labor safety on the construction site in accordance with the process and regulations.
Sixth, continue to focus on taking care of workers' lives, ensuring the reproduction of labor power.
This is a very important project for Vietnam's electricity system in the context that renewable energy sources are increasingly penetrating today.