Race to restore power after storm No. 10

Final Post: The Shock Troops Determined to Bring Back the Light

Photo caption — Officials of Ha Tinh Electricity Company repair damage at electric poles. Photo: Huu Quyet/VNA

People were shocked, many places were disrupted, life seemed to stop amid the devastation after the storm. But amidst the devastation, the electricians in orange shirts still stubbornly stuck to the scene, determined to bring light back.

Mr. Nguyen Van Quyet, a local resident, recounted: “This is the first time I have witnessed such a terrible scene. The broken electric poles and the howling wind made everyone scared and afraid to leave their homes. When they saw the electricity workers appear right after the storm, people felt somewhat reassured.”

In Ky Anh, the intense heat after the storm made the recovery work even more difficult. Mr. Ho The Vinh - Deputy Head of the Ky Anh Electricity Management Team said: "Although the weather is very uncomfortable, all workers and staff are determined to overcome difficulties to bring electricity back to the people soon. By the morning of October 2, we had restored electricity to 40% of nearly 70,000 customers." On many roads, rows of broken poles were replaced with new ones, each electric wire was reconnected under the sweltering sun.

In early October 2025, Ha Tinh was still severely affected by storm No. 10. Many communes, including Cam Trung and Cam Lac (Cam Xuyen district), had their power grid infrastructure severely damaged. Restoring power to more than 6,500 households became an urgent task, ensuring people's lives while maintaining economic activities and medical facilities.

Mr. Pham Tuan Anh, Team Leader of the Cam Xuyen Power Line and Transformer Station Management Team, said: “The unit has proactively inspected, counted the damage and implemented a plan to repair the power grid system managed by the team. In the immediate future, priority will be given to repairing the medium voltage grid; for the low voltage grid, the team will coordinate with the locality to clear trees, erect or prop up broken poles so that after the medium voltage grid is repaired, it can conduct a review and reconnect power to serve the people.”

Immediately after the storm, shock teams from many provinces were mobilized to support. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thu, Deputy Director of Thai Nguyen Power Company and leader of the shock team, shared: “When mobilized to Ha Tinh, we gathered forces from all the management teams in Thai Nguyen area to help. During the move, we encountered heavy rain and storm, but everyone tried to get there as soon as possible. The area was unfamiliar and we were not familiar with it, so during the deployment process, we had to depend on the guidance of local management, but everyone was always ready when receiving the task.”

The sense of responsibility of the shock team is clearly shown through each story. Although houses in Thai Nguyen were also affected by the storm, the workers still encouraged each other to complete the task. Mr. Thu said: “After each working day, even from the first day, we met with the area management team to plan for the next day. Thanks to that, the coordination was smooth, saving time for the shock team to handle incidents on the scene.”

Not only Thai Nguyen, the shock troops from Lai Chau, Dien Bien, and Bac Ninh were also present in Ha Tinh, demonstrating the spirit of solidarity in the electricity industry. Mr. Nguyen Vinh Quang from the shock troops of Thai Nguyen Power Company expressed: “The terrain of Ha Tinh is different from Thai Nguyen, but with the cooperation of Ha Tinh Power Company, we believe we will complete the job. Responsibility for the task makes us proud to contribute to helping people have electricity again.”

Mr. Tran Van Hang, a member of the Thai Nguyen shock team, shared: “Seeing people without electricity, everyone is anxious. We work day and night. The hot and tiring weather is unavoidable, but the more we understand the hardships of people without electricity, the more we try to complete the task as soon as possible.”

In Ky Anh town, when it was getting dark, groups of workers were still working diligently. Flashlights and moonlight shone on their muddy faces, focusing on each electrical connection, becoming a living proof of dedication. Mr. Nguyen Cong Quang (Bac Ninh) recalled: "On the way to Ha Tinh in heavy rain and strong wind, but thinking about the people, we were more motivated. Every time we restored electricity to the people, seeing the light appear on their faces, we were very happy."

Mr. Man Tien Ky, with the Bac Ninh shock team, said that at the incident site in Ky Anh town, there were 40 workers participating. “Supporting the provinces helps us gain experience. Learning from other units and learning from our own work helps workers feel confident and steady in handling incident situations,” Mr. Ky said, before continuing work at night.

Mr. Pham Tuan Anh said that the efforts of the shock team are not only work but also a responsibility to the community. “The teams deploy the '4 on-site' plan, closely coordinate with local management, and prioritize transformer stations serving administrative centers and hospitals. The work is hard, working through the night, but the goal is always clear: ensuring the fastest and safest power supply for people,” Mr. Tuan Anh said.

Before the storm, the unit held a subcommittee meeting, dividing Cam Xuyen into 3 regions; two deputy team leaders were in charge of two regions, the team leader and the head of the technical department were in charge of the remaining region. “We checked all the power lines, focusing on prioritizing medium voltage lines to quickly fix the problem. Learning from storm No. 5, before storm No. 10, the unit sent documents to the communes, worked directly with the commune chairman, coordinated tree trimming, and hung signs warning of unsafe risks. When the storm passed, the localities mobilized to prevent tilted and fallen power poles for the fastest recovery,” Mr. Pham Tuan Anh shared.

Mr. Pham Tuan Anh emphasized: “For complex incidents, always put safety first, second is to prioritize quickly fixing special loads. After checking to ensure safety, turn on the power and concentrate all human resources with the 4-on-the-spot motto with support units, fix from the beginning of the line to ensure the fastest power supply, shortest range.”

The electricity industry not only faces falling poles but also has to deal with incidents in densely populated areas and power grid corridors in harsh weather conditions. “The difficulty is time, but we have a plan. We prepare minimum supplies before the storm, and the company quickly supplies large supplies when needed,” said Mr. Tuan Anh.

Mr. Pham Tuan Anh spoke with VNA reporters at the scene of Cam Lac commune: “The area where the incident occurred is currently supplying electricity to Cam Trung and Cam Lac communes. The number of customers without electricity is 6,570 households. With the direction of the Corporation, Ha Tinh Electricity Company and the support of shock teams from Thai Nguyen and outside contractors, the unit focused on fixing and restoring electricity to all customers on the night of October 2.”

The sense of responsibility, the harmonious coordination and the dedication of the electricity shock team helped many residential areas in Ha Tinh to have electricity soon restored. Every light turned on, every household served, is a testament to the sleepless nights of the electricity workers - the silent, steadfast people in the storm, bringing faith and light to the community.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/chay-dua-khoi-phuc-dien-sau-bao-so-10-bai-cuoi-20251003094759956.htm