EVNNPT leader requests 4 northern Vietnam power transmission projects to be accelerated

Pham Le Phu, general director of National Power Transmission Corporation, asked for the construction of four power transmission projects in the northern province of Phu Tho to be speeded up during his recent site inspections.

Accompanying the working delegation were leaders from EVNNPT’s departments, the Northern Power Projects Management Board (NPMB), the Central Power Projects Management Board (CPMB), and the Power Transmission Projects Management Board (NPTPMB). EVNNPT is a subsidiary of state-owned giant Vietnam Electricity (EVN).

They inspected the 500kV Vinh Yen substation and its connecting transmission line, managed by NPMB. To date, the substation construction has been largely completed, including installation and commissioning of equipment. However, work on the connecting transmission line is still underway, involving tower erection and conductor stringing.

The project is currently facing challenges related to compensation and resettlement for five households with residential land and five households with property on land. These issues have yet to be approved by the compensation council of Binh Tuyen commune, following the transition of local administrative responsibilities.

The project to upgrade the capacity of the 500kV Viet Tri substation is managed by NPTPMB. The substation currently operates with two 500kV-450MVA transformers. This project aims to increase the capacity to 1,800 MVA. It also includes upgrades to control, protection, metering, communication, and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems, along with construction and fire protection infrastructure, all in compliance with EVN and EVNNPT regulations and current standards. This project is progressing smoothly without any major obstacles.

The 220kV Ba Thien substation and 220kV Viet Tri-Tam Duong-Ba Thien transmission line project, managed by NPMB, includes the installation of 2x250MVA transformers (with 1x250MVA being installed in this phase), the addition of two 220kV feeder bays at the 500kV Viet Tri substation, and construction of a 50-kilometer 220kV double-circuit transmission line from the 500kV Viet Tri substation to the 220kV Ba Thien substation.

A section from tower G32 to G33 is designed as a hybrid line with four circuits (2x220kV and 2x500kV). Currently, the project is facing several issues regarding land clearance for the transmission line, with only 146 out of 155 tower foundations and 27 out of 76 right-of-way spans handed over.

The 220kV Nghia Lo substation and 220kV Nghia Lo-Viet Tri connecting transmission line project is managed by CPMB. The substation has been completed, and all 256 tower foundations for the connecting line and only six out of 96 right-of-way spans have been handed over. The project still faces considerable challenges related to land clearance along the transmission corridor and construction conditions in areas frequently affected by rain.

During the site inspection, the EVNNPT CEO acknowledged the efforts of the project management boards and construction units for their hard work in handling a large workload. However, he noted that the current pace of progress still falls short of investor expectations.

He emphasized that these projects are of great significance in unlocking hydropower capacity and ensuring reliable electricity supply for Phu Tho province and the northern region. Therefore, all involved units must focus on ensuring the planned progress is met.

In particular, the 500kV Vinh Yen substation and its connecting line must be energized by July 20, 2025, to celebrate the 4th Party Congress of the EVN for the 2025-2030 term. The 500kV Viet Tri substation capacity upgrade project should also strive to be powered on within July 2025.

For the Viet Tri-Tam Duong-Ba Thien 220kV transmission line and the Nghia Lo-Viet Tri 220kV line, Phu requested that NPMB and CPMB coordinate closely with the Phu Tho provincial People’s Committee to ask local authorities and relevant agencies to urgently hand over the tower foundation areas and transmission corridor by July 2025.

At the same time, contractors must allocate sufficient construction resources to ensure the workload is completed in accordance with the proposed schedule, he noted.