Vietnam Electricity (EVN) and the National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT), along with officials from nine provinces, on August 29 inaugurated the 500 kV circuit 3 power line from Quang Trach (Quang Binh) to Pho Noi (Hung Yen).

Delegates at the event. Photo: EVN

This project completes the 500 kV circuit 3 power line network that runs the length of the country from north to south, adding to the existing 1,180 kilometers of 500 kV lines from central to southern Vietnam. The project enhances the transmission capacity of the 500 kV North-South transmission system, adding approximately 2,500 MW of power from the central to the northern regions. This will help mitigate local power shortages and ensure energy security for northern Vietnam in the coming years.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, General Director of EVN, stated that after nearly seven months of construction, the final section from Quang Trach to Quynh Luu was energized and connected on August 27, just as planned.

At the main event at the 500 kV Pho Noi (Hung Yen) substation, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the project's critical importance to national energy security. He noted that the project's completion would boost the confidence of foreign investors in the government's commitments.

"We committed to no power shortages, and we have delivered," the Prime Minister stated, adding that this will help attract investors in emerging sectors like semiconductor chips and digital transformation.

He acknowledged that recent localized power shortages in northern Vietnam have affected citizens' lives and foreign investment. Since June 2023, the government has taken measures to ensure a stable power supply in northern Vietnam, aiming to avoid any power shortages.

Workers check the 500kV transmission line. Photo: Nhat Bac

"The goal was to complete the project in six months, despite many challenges and seemingly insurmountable obstacles," the Prime Minister said. However, thanks to the efforts of various ministries, local governments, businesses, and banks, many components of the project were completed "at lightning speed."

Over a year ago, when the Prime Minister assigned this task, few believed it could be done. Many thought that obtaining investment approval by June would be a major accomplishment, let alone completing it. However, with a mindset of "only discussing progress, not delays," all stakeholders, including ministries, local governments, citizens, and the electricity sector, worked together to remove obstacles and accelerate the project promptly.

"This project was a feat of a new era," said Tuan.

The project is one of the nation's key infrastructure works, comprising four sub-projects spanning 514 kilometers from Quang Trach (Quang Binh) to Pho Noi (Hung Yen) with a total investment of about VND23 trillion (nearly $1 billion). Work on the projects began in October 2023 and January 2024, respectively. Despite the large investment, it was disbursed in only six months, with land clearance for the foundation positions completed in two months and the import and transportation of materials meeting the large-scale demands.

The 500 kV circuit 3 power line is a double-circuit line that traverses diverse terrain, requiring a much larger construction effort than previous projects. According to EVNNPT, projects of similar scale and scope typically take 3-4 years to complete.

For example, the construction of the 437-kilometer 500-kV Circuit 3 line from Pleiku to My Phuoc to Cau Bong took nearly three years to build, and the 740-kilometer   500 kV Circuit 3 line from Vung Ang to Quang Trach to Doc Soi to Pleiku 2  took almost four years.  

Under the National Power Development Plan VIII, the project was originally scheduled to be commissioned in 2025-2026. However, to increase supply and reduce power shortages in the north, the Prime Minister ordered the project to be expedited.

"If the first 500 kV circuit was built with a spirit of courage and responsibility, and the second circuit with internal strength, then the third 500 kV circuit was built with the combined strength of the entire political system," added an EVN representative.