Mr. Tran Hong Ky – Senior Energy Expert of the World Bank. Photo: Le Viet
Journalist: What are your assessments about the project implementation schedule and the project quality?
Mr. Tran Hong Ky: We are pleased to see that the project schedule and quality have been satisfactorily achieved. This fact has been re-affirmed by the State Acceptance Council for construction projects and the International Dam Safety Committee, as well as been proven by the safe and efficient reservoir impoundment for and operation of the first two power units.
The comprehensive evaluation of the project quality will keep to be done until the project completion.
Journalist: It is traditionally viewed that the World Bank is inherently “conservative” with hydropower projects due to their environmental, social, resettlement related issues, etc. So for what reasons the World Bank has agreed to finance Trung Son Hydropower Project, Sir?
Mr. Tran Hong Ky:
The Project has undertaken obvious and serious commitments in observing the World Bank’s safety and social policies.
During the project implementation, from my point of view, the project owner has well performed these commitments, which have mitigated and diminished adverse impacts in not only the construction site, the reservoir area but also the downstream area and the power line routes.
The project owner has actively assessed impacts and performed effective solutions in order to mitigate these impacts in the downstream areas during reservoir water impoundment time.
Besides adequately and accurately assessing environmental impacts and mitigating these impacts, the responsibilities for these issues among the stakeholders (project owner, contractors, local authorities) are clearly defined; all have been done under a close supervision of the project owner, the supervisory consultant and the World Bank.
It is scheduled that Trung Son Hydropower Project will complete all its works in August 2017, and will generate more than 1 billion kWh to the power system every year – Photo: Le VietJournalist: One of the major concerns of the public is how to secure livelihood for local residents who have moved away and had their lands yielded to the project. How do you assess the resettlement performance and livelihood recovery in this Trung Son Hydropower Project?
Mr. Tran Hong Ky: Livelihood restoration and living condition improvement for the project affected people is the World Bank’s concern and also one of the project objectives.
There has been a comprehensive program on livelihood restoration for the project affected community. In addition to the budget allocated to compensation and resettlement in compliance with the policies of the Government of Vietnam and the World Bank, another budget of USD 2 million from the project cost has been earmarked and spent for performing the livelihood restoration program for the people via capacity building, opportunity creating activities, providing breeding animals and crops and technical assistances for the people.
A consulting company has been “situated” in the project area to directly guide the people to perform this program. This is a unique feature of Trung Son Hydropower Project and we do hope that we can contribute to improving the lives of the people.
Journalist: After this project, will the World Bank further support EVN in other power generation projects, Sir?
Mr. Tran Hong Ky: We are proud of having a chance to contribute to Trung Son Hydropower Project and do wish to continue cooperating with EVN in particular and with Vietnam in general.
In addition to this project, the World Bank has assisted EVN in implementing a lot of projects for enhancing the efficiency of and expanding the transmission and distribution network. The World Bank is in the discussion process to support EVN to implement Song Binh (in Binh Thuan province) and Tri An (in Dong Nai province) solar power projects.
Journalist: Thank you very much!