Inauguration of the 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen transmission line project

Photo caption — Electricity workers deploy cable pulling at poles 18 and 17 of the 500kV power line project in Xuan Quang commune, Lao Cai province. Photo: Vu Sinh/VNA

This is a project to welcome the success of the first Government Party Congress for the 2025-2030 term, towards the 14th National Party Congress.

Previously, the 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen transmission line project was also successfully energized on September 30, 2025, completed 8 months ahead of schedule compared to the original plan according to the project investment policy decision approved by the Prime Minister .

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc emphasized that this is a project of special importance in ensuring national energy security, contributing to concretizing the direction of the Politburo in Resolution No. 70 on ensuring national energy security and the Government's commitment to always strive to ensure continuous electricity supply, not to let there be power shortages in any situation, creating a solid foundation to promote growth of over 8% in 2025 and double-digit growth in the coming years.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc emphasized that Vietnam's socio-economic growth target during this period requires the electricity sector to focus on development and increase annual power generation capacity by about 15-18% (equivalent to 8,000-10,000 MW) to ensure electricity supply for economic development and attract domestic and foreign investment.

Last summer, the weather in the North was extremely hot, the maximum power consumption capacity of the national power system reached a record 54,500 MW on August 4, 2025, an increase of about 5,000 MW, equivalent to 10% compared to the same period in 2024. This shows that the demand for electricity for production, business and people's daily life is extremely important, especially in the context of frequent and unpredictable weather changes.

In light of that reality, the 500 kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen line project is of particular importance, promptly increasing the power transmission capacity from hydropower plants in the Northwest region and neighboring provinces to the national grid by about 3,000 MW. At the same time, in the future, it will meet the demand for cooperation in power supply with China; ensuring proactiveness and flexibility in directing, operating, balancing power supply and ensuring national energy security.

With the direct and decisive direction of the Prime Minister and ministries, branches, and localities where the project passes, along with high determination and drastic actions, EVN, Power Project Management Board 1, together with the contractor, completed the project after just over 6 months of implementation, shortening nearly 8 months compared to the approved schedule.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc emphasized that this is a record-breaking construction progress, a proud achievement, reflecting the more than 70-year heroic revolutionary tradition of the electricity industry. The rapid construction and completion of the project ahead of schedule in an area with particularly difficult and complicated terrain and geology, construction in unusual weather conditions, large construction volume, complex techniques, requiring precision and synchronization have demonstrated the determination, maturity and remarkable growth of the electricity industry; as well as the efforts of localities in site clearance and ensuring construction conditions for this project.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that it was the sense of responsibility, initiative and determination of the Provincial Party Secretary and Chairman of the People's Committee of Lao Cai and Phu Tho provinces (formerly Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho and Vinh Phuc provinces), and the active participation of the entire political system of the localities where the power line passes through that promptly and proactively did a good job of site clearance, resettlement, meeting the project's progress, and preventing complicated complaints from occurring.

After the inauguration ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc requested EVN and Power Project Management Board 1 to coordinate with localities to do a good job of restoring and cleaning the environment; organize the safe and most effective operation of the 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen project and the entire national power system.

In addition, EVN needs to continue investing in developing power sources and grid systems, ensuring adequate and stable supply of electricity for socio-economic development; actively participating in ensuring social security, stabilizing people's lives; and implementing project settlement in accordance with regulations.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested that the authorities at all levels of the two provinces where the project passes through continue to pay attention and care to stabilize and continuously improve the material and spiritual life of the affected people in accordance with the spirit that the new place of residence, workplace, and business must be at least equal to and fundamentally better than the old place.

At the same time, we must take care of long-term, sustainable livelihoods for people, and change to suitable occupations; we are determined not to let people lack housing, food, clothing, land for production, jobs, or places to do business.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc emphasized that the spirit of speed, "once launched, it is a victory" of the Lao Cai - Vinh Yen 500kV transmission line project has created motivation, inspiration, and contributed to the successful implementation of the strategic breakthrough in strategic infrastructure development towards welcoming the 14th National Party Congress.

At the ceremony, Mr. Pham Hong Phuong, Deputy General Director of EVN said that, implementing the direction of the Prime Minister, EVN, Power Project Management Board 1 (EVNPMB1) has focused all resources, implemented many tasks in parallel and synchronously, creatively and flexibly applied the "lessons" pointed out by the Prime Minister after the successful implementation of the 500kV line circuit 3 Quang Trach - Pho Noi.

As a result, the Lao Cai - Vinh Yen 500kV transmission line project was completed in just over 6 months from the commencement date, nearly 8 months ahead of the schedule approved in the Prime Minister's investment policy.

During the past 6 months of construction, the project has faced many difficulties and challenges from harsh weather conditions, rugged mountainous terrain, complex geology, large amount of site clearance to urgent progress requirements, but with implementation experience and high determination and outstanding efforts of Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN), Power Project Management Board 1, along with consulting units, construction contractors, material and equipment suppliers; the project has always been implemented urgently, synchronously and effectively.

With the spirit of determination and the highest effort, organizing the construction "4 on-site", "3 shifts, 4 teams", "overcoming the sun, overcoming the rain", "through holidays, Tet, and days off", after more than 6 months of construction, the project has completed the main construction volume including: Digging nearly 1.8 million m3 of soil and rock in the foundation pit; Pouring nearly 110,000 m3 of concrete with about 7,500 tons of steel reinforcement; Manufacturing and assembling 55,000 tons of steel poles; laying more than 6,000 km of cables of all kinds (26 conductors, lightning protection wires and optical cables).

The 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen transmission line project is a national key project, with a scale of 500kV double-circuit transmission line with a total length of 229.5 km, with a total of 468 pole foundation locations. The project passes through 2 provinces including Lao Cai and Phu Tho (formerly 4 provinces including Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Phu Tho and Vinh Phuc), with the starting point being the 500kV Lao Cai station, the end point being the 500kV Vinh Yen station.

The total investment of the Project is more than 7,410 billion VND, arranged from 80% loan capital from the Joint Stock Commercial Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (Vietcombank) and 20% counterpart capital from EVN.

To ensure synchronous and effective operation, the Lao Cai 500kV Transformer Station Phase 2 project with a total investment of more than VND 1,564 billion has also been completed with construction items and energization of the 500 kV distribution yard and 500 kV transformer to synchronize with the Lao Cai - Vinh Yen 500kV transmission line project.

Once put into operation, the 500kV Lao Cai - Vinh Yen line will be able to transmit about 3,000 MW from hydropower plants in the Northwest region and neighboring provinces to the national grid and increase the ability to import electricity.

At the same time, it creates strong connections between areas in the power system; improves the ability to operate safely and stably for the national power system; reduces power loss in the transmission grid; and increases the efficiency of EVN's electricity production and business.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/khanh-thanh-du-an-duong-day-500kv-lao-cai-vinh-yen-20251017124959970.htm