Mr. Nguyen Tuan Tung
Reporter: Until the end of 2016, EVNNPT still had 962 right of way illegal encroachment cases in high voltage power transmission lines to be dealt with, accounting for 20% of the total encroachment cases of EVN. What reasons are behind this situation, sir?
Mr. Nguyen Tuan Tung:
Most of the encroachment cases have been caused by people’s inadequate knowledge. Despite many communication and warning activities are conducted for several times, people are not fully aware of threats and dangers when infringing on safety distances. For that reason, house construction, expansion, rehabilitation or kaingin farming, sugar cane burning activities etc. were carried out inside or near right of ways of high voltage transmission lines in many cases. The increasingly popular kite flying game in some provinces is also an implicit threat that may endanger the safety of transmission grid, etc.
In addition, during the implementation of 220 / 500 kV power grid investment projects, power project management boards have not absolutely addressed outstanding issues relating to site clearance. Several property owners despite receiving compensation including money for demolishing properties within right of ways have not exercised demolition yet. Therefore, even when projects are energized and put into operation, many yet to be demolished properties are still existing in right of ways.
In some provinces, local authorities have not allocated resettlement land in a timely manner to people living in right of ways of 500 kV transmission power lines who have to be resettled during project implementation. Consequently, people still live there, leading to time consuming and tough infringement cases.
Reporter: Have you met a lot of difficulties in dealing with right of way infringements?
Mr. Nguyen Tuan Tung: Land owners living in the areas of right of ways have different intellectual and legal literacy levels, thus communication for prevention as well as resolution of infringements have encountered a lot of difficulties.
In many areas, people intentionally cause troubles to hinder the power sector’s staff to handle and eliminate infringement locations, trim off high trees inside or outside right of ways which may cause transmission network failures, because they consider that compensation and site clearance activities have not been adequately exercised. Even some property owners living in areas of right of ways of high voltage transmission lines request much higher compensations than the currently regulated rates, creating many troubles to site clearance and raising infringement cases.
EVNNPT has received a lot of positive supports from local authorities in many provinces. However, in some provinces, local authorities have not closely collaborated with transmission companies and hindered the transmission companies’ resolution of infringement cases.
Reporter: Does EVNNPT have any solutions to diminish infringement cases in order to secure safe and reliable electricity delivery, particularly in the coming stormy season, sir?
Mr. Nguyen Tuan Tung:
In addition to promoting communication programs on mass media at all levels from the center to localities, particularly on weather forecast news, EVNNPT continues collaboration with local authorities, schools in disseminating information of right of way protection, enabling people to grasp and respect legal regulations. In details, leaflets, presents such as advertisement books, notebooks will be distributed, etc.
Especially, with the involvement of steering committees for transmission grid protection in some provinces, EVNNPT have signed protocols with public security forces in most of the provinces and cities where transmission grids pass to undertake security, safety of transmission grids, seriously and absolutely resolve infringement cases; signing commitments on forest fire fighting and prevention with all the property owners who own fields locating along 220 kV and 500 kV power lines’ right of ways; signing protocols with Forest Authorities about forest fire fighting and prevention in power line routes and areas.
Before stormy seasons, transmission companies take the initiative to clear high trees which may endanger the safety of transmission lines; applying technical solutions such as increase of phase to earth distance; tree clearance; reinforcement of landslide locations, enhancing inspection of power lines, right of ways via regular or unexpected inspections, etc., which help early detection of dangers, etc.
By synchronously exercising solutions, EVNNPT sets an objective that 25% of right of way infringement cases will decline every year from now until 2020.
Reporter: Thank you very much!