On these days, the atmosphere of labour emulation on the massive construction site is hotter than ever, aiming to reach the finish line on schedule to celebrate the 14th National Congress of the Party.
"Overcoming the sun and the rain" on the massive construction site
View of BAPHP construction site.
Speaking to a reporter from the People's Army Newspaper, Mr. Pham Thanh Hoai, Director of the Power Project Management Board No. 3 (EVNPMB3), the unit representing the investor in managing and operating the project, said: With a total investment of approximately VND 21,100 billion, included in the list of power source projects approved by the Prime Minister in the revised Power Plan VII and Power Plan VIII, the project is entering the final construction phase. From the very beginning of commencement, the joint venture of contractors, including key units of the Army such as Lung Lo Construction Corporation, has identified this as a "major battle".
Tunneling teams are competing to achieve outstanding results to celebrate 14th National Congress of Party.
Lieutenant Colonel Le Dinh Lam, Deputy Head of Technical Department of Lung Lo Construction Corporation (Ministry of National Defense), and Executive Director of Bac Ai Pumped-storage Hydropower Joint Venture.
Strategic "battery" of energy security and Net Zero goal
Khanh Hoa and the South Central region are known as the "capital" of renewable energy with a series of large-scale solar and wind power projects.
However, a key characteristic of renewable energy is its uncertainty: solar power is only available during the day, and wind power is weather-dependent. This places enormous pressure on the transmission system and the stability of the national power grid. When there is a surplus of power generation at midday but a shortage during peak evening hours, the risk of overload or grid collapse is ever-present.
The EVNPMB3 leadership emphasized that BAPHP operates on the principle of a giant "battery," with two reservoirs at different elevations. During periods of low power demand (such as at night or midday when solar power is in surplus), the plant uses inexpensive power to pump water from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir to store energy. Conversely, during peak hours when demand is high, water is released from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir to power the turbines and generate power for the grid.
Mr. Pham Thanh Hoai (second from left) inspecting construction progress of contractors.
With an installed capacity of 1,200MW (comprising 4 units), BAPHP plays a crucial role in balancing the load curve. The project helps to smooth the load curve, reduce the difference between peak and off-peak hours, thereby helping the power system operate more stably, safely, and economically.
Furthermore, BAPHP boasts extremely rapid response capabilities. In the event of a grid failure, the plant can switch from standby mode to full-load power generation within minutes, helping to maintain the system's frequency and voltage. This is a superior feature that coal-fired or gas-fired power plants can hardly match.
Mr. Pham Thanh Hoai affirmed that the Bac Ai pumped-storage hydropower project is not only significant in terms of the technical standpoint, but also holds strategic importance in Vietnam's commitment to the international community to reduce net emissions to "zero" by 2050 (Net Zero).
Bringing this project into operation will allow for the integration of more renewable energy sources into the power system without concerns about stability. In other words, the Bac Ai project is the "midwife" for the sustainable development of wind and solar power. Instead of having to cut the capacity of renewable energy power plants, which wastes social resources, surplus power will be absorbed by Bac Ai and recycled into a useful source when needed.
According to the plan, the project aims to have the first generating unit operational by the end of 2029 and complete the entire project by 2030. Upon completion, it will be the largest and most modern pumped-storage hydropower plant in Southeast Asia.
Looking to the future, BAPHP, together with the 500kV transmission line, will form a solid "backbone" for the power system in the South and the entire country. It also marks a significant leap forward in the maturity of Vietnamese engineers and workers in mastering advanced hydropower technology.
Translator: Mạnh Hùng
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