Success in power on for 500kV distribution station at Vung Ang Power Center

Attending the ceremony, on behalf of Ministry of Industry and Trade was Mr Le Duong Quang – Deputy Minister, Mr Nguyen Manh Quan, chief of Heavy Industry Department; Ha Tinh Province was represented by Mr Dang Quoc Khanh, deputy chairman of Ha Tinh Provincial People’s Committee; Leaders of Ky Anh district and Ky Loi commune; Mr Pham Van Dinh, Head of Vung Ang – Quang Trach Petroleum Thermal Power Project Board,  leaders of contractors: Vinaincon, PECC1, BDCC, functional department of PVN, PMU of Vung Ang – Quang Trach Petroleum Thermal Power Project Board.

The project of 500kV distribution station at Vung Ang Power Center invested by PetroVietnam, it was constructed on the area of approximately 12.8ha in Ky Loi Commune, Ky Anh District. This is the first “turn-key” project and performed by Vietnamese contractors with the total contract value up to over 700 billion VND. In addition, the project was domestically maximized with 500kV transformer, capacitor panel; telecommunication system…executed by Dong Anh Transformer Manufacturer and ENTEC – the leading companies of electricity industry.

At the Ceremony, Mr. Le Duong Quang, Vice Minister of MoIT, affirmed: The project for 500kV station of Vung Ang Power Center plays an important role in the power master plan VII approved by the Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. I believe the success of the power distribution station is the initial step for the success of Vung Ang Power Center with the biggest capacity thermal power plants such as Vung Ang 1 and Vung Ang 2. The success shall contribute to maintaining energy security for the Central regions in particular and the whole country in general.

From 26th October 2013, the Consortium of Contractors carried out installation of equipment including main transformer 500/225/25kV – 450MVA, steel structure, supporting piles, beams, lightning protection, earthing systems, cable trays, wires, bulbar, etc… The installation was completed in less than 3 months. On 20th January 2014, all the works were put into trial operation and acceptance.

Representing for the Owner, Mr Pham Van Dinh, Head of Vung Ang – Quang Trach Petroleum Power PMB, emphasized “The 500kV power distribution station is completed at the same time with the commissioning of Vung Ang 1 thermal power plant. It is as important as the success of connecting to the national power grid (December 2013), preparing for synchronous connection of 2 power units in June 2014 and expected to generate commercial power of the power unit 1 in July 2014. The project has proved the investment capability and management of PVN. I suggest in the coming time, the contractors should be in closer coordination with the PMB for synchronous operation of Vung Ang 1 thermal power plant, and the distribution station shall be interconnected with the national grid”.

During project execution, the consortium of contractors faced many difficulties; the fluctuation in Vietnam and the world’s economy caused price increase of material and workforce, and total investment for the project exceeded the expectation. The severe weather of the project area such as storm, flood caused mountain erosion, even flooded the slope. They were considered as main factors affecting the project progress.

The 500kV power distribution station of Vung Ang Power Center shows multi-faceted success. Firstly, the works prove the investment capability and project management of PVN, also mark growth of Vietnamese contractors in the power construction industry. Besides, this is the project with highest localization rate for the power works and distribution stations. Commissioning and operation were executed by Vietnamese engineers and workers. It is the success of power industry for technology self-control; less depending on foreign contractors, especially Chinese ones.