Hoa Binh Hydropower: From learning, inheriting, etc.
After 15 years of continuous construction, on 20 December 1994, Hoa Binh Hydropower Work on the Da river was completed, marking the result of 15 years uninterruptedly working for the future power of the Country.
Labour Hero Thai Phung Ne - Former Minister of Energy used to undertake the role as the Head of Song Da Hydropower Project Management Unit said that: "From the Hoa Binh Hydropower Project, Vietnamese engineers and workers has learned and inherited from advanced technique of experts from the Soviet Union."
Mr. Bui Thuc Khiet, former Vice Head of Project Management Unit, the first director of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant shared about the construction period of the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant that: "In the early days, engineers and workers from the Soviet Union directly performed everything, from supplying power to construction site, rock blasting, clearing to self-driving excavator, bulldozer, repairing trucks, etc. After that, the qualified and experienced experts of geology, topography, hydropower, spraying drill from Russia organized the training to the team of Vietnamese engineers and workers with above-mentioned tasks to take over the Plant”.
Mr. Nguyen Van Duc, after graduating from mechanical major - Nam Ha Industrial High School (now is Nam Dinh University of Technical Education), who volunteered to work in Hoa Binh Hydropower Work since 1983-1987 and now is a lecturer of Electric Power University shared: "At that time, I was a senior mechanical engineer in Vietnam, however, I only knew the cutting technology using axetilen (cutting by calcium carbide), but the Soviet Union engineers was able to perform cutting by petrol with very effective results. Then, they transferred us this technique. They worked in a very high and responsible spirit."
Son La Hydropower Plant is a symbol of Vietnamese power and wisdom
Son La Hydropower: Vietnamese power and wisdom gathered
While Hoa Binh Hydropower Work with the capacity of 1,920MW, taking 15 years for construction, 35,000 people working at its peak period including 2,500 foreign experts directly working on the construction site to help Vietnam from the survey, design to construction, etc., during the construction of Son La Hydropower Work with the capacity of 2,400MW, its construction time was shortened to 7 years. At the peak period, there were only 10,000 Vietnamese workers and 220 foreign engineers, experts on the construction site and especially, they worked under the guidance of the Vietnamese team. On the inauguration of Son La Hydropower Plant, Labour Hero Thai Phung Ne expressed his pride on, affirmed: "We take the control from survey, design, construction to operation for the Plant after its completion".
After Hoa Binh Hydropower Work, the team working in hydropower field in Vietnam has been trained and practiced through other large hydropower works such as Tri An, Ialy, Ham Thuan - Da Mi, Thac Mo, etc. Thus, with Son La Hydropower Plant, Vietnam has fully gathered factors to be able to proactively construct the century works bearing the Vietnamese people’s highlight.
The head of the expert team in Son La Hydropower Work - Bui Thuc Khiet, Former Director of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant evaluates: This is an integrated achievement, the result gained by a working collective. In addition to the close guidance from the Government, the State Steering Committee and Vietnam Electricity for the project to “accomplish” with three years earlier than as specified in the National Assembly's Resolution, considered proper design, experienced Management board and high-skilled construction and installation technical workers, proper calibration testing. Particularly, the operation team of the Plant (Son La Hydropower Company) has been properly prepared since the construction of the project and signed to be properly trained in Hoa Binh, Ialy and Tuyen Quang hydropower works, etc.
It can be confirmed that after Son La Hydropower Work, the team working in hydropower field has made a breakthrough growth as a base to easily implement other hydropower works such as Lai Chau and Hoa Binh expansion, Ialy expansion, etc., and even hydropower projects abroad.
The extraordinary achievements of the working collective including Vietnamese officers, engineers, workers in Vietnam have been confirmed. They have totally mastered the technology and equipment, showing high technical competence in the field of hydropower construction. The success of Son La Hydropower Project has clearly shown the confidence, wisdom of Vietnamese workers, experts and enterprises. The forces on the construction site have followed the "immortal song" to conquer the Da river, making the project into heroic poetry in the construction and development of the country. Up to now, after nearly 6 years since the project’s inauguration, Son La Hydropower Work has contributed tens of billions kWh of power to the country's economic development.