Colonel General Bui Van Nam – Vice Minister of Public Security spoke at the ceremony
Attending the ceremony were Colonel General Bui Van Nam - Member of the Party Central Committee, Vice Minister of Public Security; Mrs. Giang Pao Ma - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the National Assembly delegation of Lai Chau province; Mr. Ho Sy Hung - Vice Chairman of the Commission of Management of State Capital in state owned enterprises; representatives of central ministries, agencies and Lai Chau province.
On the side of Vietnam Electricity (EVN), there were Mr. Duong Quang Thanh – Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the Board of Directors; and Mr. Ngo Son Hai – Vice President.
The Decision No. 419/QD-TTg dated April 16, 2019 by the Prime Minister displays the distinctive concern of the whole political system about ensuring absolute security and safety for Lai Chau Hydropower Plant.
EVN’s Chairman of Board of Directors Duong Quang Thanh said that this is one of six large scale power plants, with particularly important socio - economic, defense and security implications, approved by the Prime Minister. The plant plays an important role in providing electricity for the Northwest region in particular and the country in general; controlling floods for Red River Delta provinces; reasonably regulating water sources, increasing power generation capability for hydropower plants in the downstream cascade of the River Da which are Son La and Hoa Binh.
With its special importance, any incidents that cause loss of security and safety of Lai Chau Hydropower Plant, particularly of its dam and reservoir, will directly and seriously affect hydropower projects in the lower cascade, economic establishments and residential areas in the downstream.
EVN’s Chairman Duong Quang Thanh requested Son La Hydropower Company to revise the plant protection plan in line with the project of ensuring plant security and safety approved by Lai Chau Provincial People's Committee; at the same time coordinating with local authorities, agencies and Lai Chau Police Department in preparing a plan to protect the plant against terrorism and security situations.
EVN’s Chairman of Board of Directors Duong Quang Thanh spoke and affirmed the specially important role of Lai Chau Hydropower Plant
Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Minister Bui Van Nam affirmed that Lai Chau Hydropower Plant has brought into play its multi-purpose role, ensuring power supply for socio - economic development of the country, supplying water for downstream areas and promoting economic development in the Northwest region.
The project of ensuring security and safety for Lai Chau Hydropower Plant must be carried out under the regular and continuous leadership of the Party Committee and local authorities of Lai Chau province. In addition, Son La Hydropower Company and Lai Chau Police Department need to clarify responsibilities of each organization in ensuring the plant security. The two organizations should develop a regular and continuous information exchange protocol.
In order to support the authorities in well performing their tasks, it is necessary to develop a movement “all people protect the national security”, in which communication programs should be conducted to disseminate laws on protection of important projects related to national security for local residents where projects are located.
Lai Chau Hydropower Plant is currently managed and operated by Son La Hydropower Company (under Vietnam Electricity). The project was built in Nam Nhun district, Lai Chau province. The project includes 3 power units with a total capacity of 1,200MW, a total investment cost of VND 35,700 billion. Annually, the average electricity output supplied to the power system is about 4.67 billion kWh. Lai Chau Hydropower Plant contributes to the budget of Lai Chau province nearly VND 1,000 billion per year (accounting for nearly 50% of the provincial budget).
This is the last large scale hydropower project in Vietnam being built on the mainstream of the River Da. So far, all 3 hydropower plants on the River Da cascade namely Hoa Binh, Son La and Lai Chau are recognized as important projects related to national security.