The plant, located in Nam Nhun district of the Northwestern province of Lai Chau, consists of three turbines with the total capacity of 1,200 MW, producing 4.67 billion kWh of electricity annually on average. Since its inauguration in late 2016, the plant has generated more than 15.1 billion kWh to the national power system.
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The Lai Chau hydropower plant, a major facility on the Da River, has been listed as an important work related to national security. (Photo: congthuong.vn) |
Duong Quang Thanh, Chairman of the Members Council of the Vietnam Electricity (EVN) group, said at a ceremony on August 12 to announce the classification of the plant that aside from producing electricity and helping prevent floods in the Red River Delta, the Lai Chau plant also has the function of regulating the flow of water to enhance the power generation capacity of other cascade hydropower plants in the downstream of Da River, namely the Son La and Hoa Binh plants.
However, its national importance and location in a remote, mountainous and border area have also made the Lai Chau plant vulnerable to security and safety risks and be the target of hostile forces and criminal activities. Any incidents threatening its security and safety, especially the reservoir with the big water storage capacity, will directly and seriously affect other hydropower plants, along with economic facilities and communities, in downstream areas.
Due to its special importance to national development, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc issued Decision 419/QD-TTg in April this year to classify the Lai Chau hydropower plant as one of the important works related to national security, Thanh noted.
The Prime Minister also assigned the Ministry of Public Security to coordinate with the ministries of industry and trade, finance and national defense, the Lai Chau provincial People’s Committee, the EVN and relevant agencies to make plans to protect the power facility.
So far, all the three cascade hydropower plants on the Da River, namely Hoa Binh, Son La and Lai Chau, have been recognised as important works related to national security.
Source: VNA