Third circuit of the 500kV transmission line is in the sprint stage

According to the evaluation of the State Steering Committee for national power development plan, with a total exist generation capacity of over 28,000 MW, it is able to meet the peak load demand from 20,000-21,000 MW and includes contingency. However, the reality is that there is an imbalance of power among regions, many generation projects, especially projects in the southern region are delayed. That’s why, a great capacity has to transmit from the Northern and Central regions to the southern region thru the power system.  This affects the energy security of the power system.

 

The issue of power imbalance among regions were predicted and many drastic measures were taken to accelerate the progress; in which the 500 kV Pleiku - My Phuoc - Cau Bong transmission line is considered as the right cure to solve the risk of serious power outages in the southern area from 2014 to 2015. Mr. Dang Phan Tuong, Chairman of the Board of Management of the National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT) affirmed: This is a particularly important project, if progress of this project is not ensure, it will affect the power supply to the southern region and Ho Chi Minh City from 2014 forwards.

 

In fact, the project is not only to ensure the power supply for demand growth in the Southern region for the period 2014-2015, but also set the premise for power import from Laos to Vietnam. It also strengthens the power grid interconnection of the three countries: Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia in 2015. With this special importance, the Government has directed the relevant ministries, especially the Chairman of provinces of Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Binh Phuoc, Binh Duong and Ho Chi Minh City to definitively settle difficulties in the clearance and handover the remaining foundations to work contractors for timely implementation.

 

With a total length of over 437 km, including 926 foundation buttresses passing through the above mentioned 05 provinces and cities, the project was assigned to EVNNPT as the investor and the Central Power Project Management  Board (CPPMB) as the Project Management Unit. The project has a total investment of VND 9,288 billion, which is primarily funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the French Development Agency (AFD), World Bank (WB), the Bank for Industry and Trade of Vietnam (Vietinbank) and the Vietnam Development Bank (VDB). In which, Vietinbank finances for construction costs and other reasonable expenses of the project.

 

 

According to Mr. Nguyen Duc Tuyen, Director of CPPMB,  until the middle of August 2013, space for 901/926 foundations were handed over to the work contractors, of which the following provinces: Gia Lai, Dak Lak has been completed; Dak Nong 2 foundations are remained, Binh Phuoc 8 foundations are remained, 10 foundations at Binh Duong and 5 foundations in Ho Chi Minh City have not handed over to the contractor. About corridor, 3.731/4.406 households were checked,  the remaining households will be checked and compensated within August 2013.

Currently, 15 contractors who implement 16 packages has reached 95% for foundation excavation, 93% for foundation cast. Mr. Tuyen said the remaining foundations are difficult. Thus, CPPMB is actively working closely with local authorities to continue mobilizing households and solving outstanding problems, to ensure the space can be handed over to the construction companies at the end of August. In particular, direction to Gia Lai People’s Committee to soon issue agriculture land support level within the right of way should be made by the Government. Thus, the foundation will be completed in the middle of September. Then contractors can erect steel tower within November and string conductor since December.

 

In the 6602 foundation position of Minh Lap commune, Chon Thanh district (Binh Phuoc), Mr. Doan Xuan Manh, deputy Manager of the Power Engineering Construction Company No.1 said:  the contractor who implements packages 13 and 14 are responsible for 141 foundations which locate in two provinces, Binh Duong and Binh Phuoc. Currently, the contractor has completed the foundations of 131/141 positions. Any steel tower available will be erected immediately. There are 7 teams with over 100 workers on the site. With the proposed schedule, the contractor commits to the investor that foundation will be completed before Mid of September, steel tower erection will be completed in November to start conductor stringing.

Director of Power Engineering Construction Company No. 2, Mr. Nguyen Hong Quang also said: the company is controlling the implementing progress of packages 15 and 16, with a total length of 22.15 km, including 66 foundations, of which 12 foundations belong to Ben Cat, Binh Duong Districts, and 54 foundations belong to Cu Chi district, Ho Chi Minh City. Currently 29 foundations has completed, 6 foundations are casting.

 

According to Deputy Manager of the Power Engineering Construction Company No. 4, Mr. Nguyen Trung Kien, his company signed a contract with CPPMB to implement 119 foundations under 3 packages 1, 4 and 8 which locate in three provinces: Gia Lai , Dak Lak and Dak Nong; in which 2 packages are joint ventures with other entities. By early August, these packages has mainly finished the foundation casting. "If in October, all steel towers, conductors, insulators and accessories will be supplied sufficiently by the contractors, the Power Engineering Construction Company No. 4 commits to complete steel tower erection in November”, Kien confirmed.

 

The Song Da 11 - Thang Long Joint Stock Company is assigned 2 packages 11 and 12 with 123 foundations. So far, 114 foundations has completed, the rest 9 foundations are implementing to ensure the last one will be finished by the end of August. The company also commits to execute the work as schedule set forth by the Investor, including steel tower erection and conductor stringing.
 
The question now is steel tower supply progress is behind schedule since contractors just supplied only 327/926 towers. The delay of steel tower supply will affect the future conductor stringing progress. Through survey at the site, all works contractors requested the steel tower supplier to speed up their progress. Regarding this issue, Mr. Nguyen Duc Tuyen asked the steel tower suppliers must complete their delivery in early November at the latest. However, at the meeting to urge progress among CPPMB and the contractors recently, all steel tower suppliers committed to complete their delivery in October.

Besides, the Power Transmission Companies No. 3 and No. 4 are responsible for monitoring all the transmission line, management and operation after it has completed also believed that to ensure the energized progress, the contractors should coordinate closely with the investor. It should be ready for commissioning any position once it has completed to shorten the progress.

Currently, the Central Highland is at the threshold of rainy season. In addition to the requirement to works contractors focusing on their implementation to ensure the progress, Vice President of EVNNPT, Mr. Tran Quoc Lam asked CPPMB to supplement forces to work closely with localities to hand over foundation space to the construction units. " Steel tower supply contractors particularly must stop supplying tower in early November at the latest. Only that way the conductor stringing progress can be scheduled”. Mr. Lam emphasized.

For materials and equipment of sections to renovate the 500 kV transmission line first circuit and second circuit: packages providing insulator and fittings, optical cable and accessories, the contractor had completed. Productions are on the way to Saigon port and will be handed over to the construction contractors. The supply and transportation conductors, wire earth conductors Package is under manufacturing and is going to deliver from 10-25th of August. 

 

One of the prerequisites which is critical to the energized progress of the 500 kV Pleiku-My Phuoc-Cau Bong transmission line, as well as to ensure the conditions for power cut off of the 500 kV transmission lines for implementing renovation sections is the solution for power cut off of upgrading sections for implementation.

 

Identifying difficulties in the construction work, power cut off, sections connection will affect ensuring power supply for the South, CPPMB has actively coordinated with the design consultants, works contractors to prepare connection power cut off plan. According to the plan which has been agreed by concerned units and approved by EVNNPT, to support the implementation of the upgrading section of the 500kv Pleiku-My Phuoc-Cau Bong transmission line, it is going to cut the power of the upgrading section on the existing 500kV and 110kV. It is expected phase 1 including 40 days (from September 21 - October 31, 2013 and phase 2 including 15 days (from November 3 – November 17, 2013).

 

However, to ensure the progress of the renovation sections which will be started from mid of September 2013 (after gas of the Nam Con Son was cut), according to CPPMB, all relating projects must complete and put into operation September 15 as:  the 500kv Phu Lam - O Mon;  Song May - Tan Dinh, Phu My - Song May transmission lines and 500kV Song May substation (under the Management of the Southern Power Project Management Board); the upgrading series capacitor capacity project of sections of the Pleiku - Phu Lam transmission line (under management of the Power Transmission Company No. 4); improvement of 110kV Trang Bang 2 - Trang Bang - Trang Bang Industrial Zone transmission line project (manages by the Southern Power Company).

 

For projects that have important and imperative progress as the 500kV transmission line third circuit, the mobilization of resources in sprint stage and a synchronous coordination among relating stakeholders along with the methodical way from experiences, all will lead the power supply for the south and Ho Chi Minh city to reach the target as scheduled.