Brightening the border - Quang Binh Electronic Newspaper

(QBĐT) - After many generations of living with the light of wood stoves and oil lamps when night falls, at the beginning of the Spring of At Ty 2025, hundreds of Ma Coong households in 8/18 villages of Thuong Trach commune and A Rem village of Tan Trach commune (Bo Trach) officially had national grid electricity to light up. These are also the last two commune-level localities in the province to have national grid electricity, gradually realizing the dream of "bringing civilization" to villages.

Resolution to bring electricity to remote areas

Exactly one year ago, on the occasion of the traditional New Year 2024, the lights from the national grid lit up 13 administrative locations and nearly 100 houses of the A Rem people in Km 39 village, Tan Trach commune. At that time, the excitement of the people here was indescribable. Even happier, for the first time, Bo Trach Electricity boldly coordinated with the People's Committee of Thuong Trach commune to mobilize and arrange 12 people to connect and install power lines and equipment all the way to Ca Roong 1 village to serve the drum beating festival of the Ma Coong people taking place on February 25, 2024 (ie January 16 of the lunar calendar).

However, the joy of having the national grid light up the A Rem and Ma Coong people only lasted for more than a month before it was forced to be temporarily suspended to ensure safety and "priority" for the implementation of the project to upgrade, renovate and repair the 20 Quyet Thang route, which is in a period of serious degradation. It was not until the end of 2024, when this electricity was put back into operation, that Bo Trach Electricity installed additional electricity meters for hundreds of other customers in Thuong Trach commune.

Bo Trach Electricity installed electricity meters for the Ma Coong people in But village, Thuong Trach commune.

Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade Nguyen Viet Ha said that the investment project to build a power grid for Tan Trach and Thuong Trach communes is implemented according to Resolution No. 43/NQ-HDND dated December 10, 2021 of the People's Council of Quang Binh province on approving the investment policy for medium-term public investment projects in the period 2021-2025 from provincial capital. The project is scheduled to start construction in June 2022; the total investment is 110 billion VND.

Accordingly, the project is invested by the Department of Industry and Trade and will be officially energized on October 18, 2024. The scale of the project includes: 27.573km underground 22kV medium voltage line; 17.458km overhead medium voltage line; medium voltage branch to Ban 51 transformer station; medium voltage branch to Ca Roong 1 village; 8.151km low voltage line, including branches to Arem village (Tan Trach commune) and Ban, But, Ca Roong 1 and 2, 51, 61, Khe Rung, Tuoc villages (Thuong Trach commune).

Currently, the Department of Industry and Trade has agreed to allow Quang Binh Power Company (PC Quang Binh) to temporarily take over the management, operation, and energization of the project to supply to customers; at the same time, continue to complete the documents and procedures to transfer assets in accordance with the provisions of law...

In addition to the project's investment capital, initially, the Central Power Corporation and PC Quang Binh allocated more than 300 million VND from the welfare fund to support the A Rem people in Tan Trach commune to install the electricity system behind the meter and lighting equipment in their homes. The Provincial Party Committee and the People's Committee of Bo Trach district supported an additional 900 million VND to install the electricity system behind the meter and lighting equipment in their homes in 8/18 villages of the Ma Coong people in Thuong Trach commune. Thanks to that, the resolution to bring electricity to the border areas of Tan Trach and Thuong Trach has really shown its effectiveness more and more clearly.

Brighten up the villages on the border

On the eve of the traditional Lunar New Year 2025, the national power grid has been brought to light up many villages in the border areas of Tan Trach and Thuong Trach. The lights shine throughout the villages, remote border areas seem to be closer to other villages in the province...

Vice Chairman of Thuong Trach Commune People's Committee Nguyen Truong Chinh shared: In the past, when the chickens went to the coop at night, many people in the villages in the commune also went to bed. Since the electricity was available, many Ma Coong households here have started to buy household appliances such as TVs, rice cookers, smartphones... to serve their family's daily life. Dinh Vo in Ban village, Dinh Hung and Nguyen Dieu in Ca Roong 1 village, Dinh Thuc in Ca Roong 2 village, Dinh Soan in But village... are examples.

Instructing people in Thuong Trach commune on how to use electricity safely, economically and effectively.

Thanks to electricity, people have more access to television and radio programs, read electronic newspapers, the internet... to grasp current information, learn about science and technology, and unique cultural traditions of the regions. Propaganda and dissemination activities of the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws in villages with electricity also have a positive effect through the use of modern equipment.

It can be said that the material and spiritual life of the Ma Coong people in the commune is gradually improving significantly. In the near future, the People's Committee of Thuong Trach commune will develop a plan to direct and guide villages with electricity to know how to take advantage of this energy source to serve livestock, cultivation, and effectively expand industries and services...

Ho Thi Lam, a teacher at But village school, Thuong Trach Primary School No. 1, confided: “Since the electricity has been available, the lives of teachers here have become much more convenient. Teachers can research, prepare lesson plans and use laptops to look up and use teaching materials effectively. At night, students in But village are also diligent thanks to having enough light to read books and do homework...”.

Mr. Bui Xuan Thu, Deputy Director of Bo Trach Electricity, said: “Currently, the unit has signed electricity purchase contracts and completed the installation of 408 meters for 408 customers in Tan Trach and Thuong Trach communes. In the near future, if there is additional investment capital from higher authorities, the unit will continue to sign contracts to supply electricity to the remaining households in this border area.”

“The national grid has crossed mountains and forests to reach the houses of the Ma Coong people, I am so happy! The Ma Coong people are very grateful to the Party and the State. Now, the civilization of the whole world , all the identities and quintessential cultures of the country and homeland also follow this electricity to reach the people, helping the people develop production, build an increasingly prosperous and fulfilling life!”, village elder Dinh Xon, Thuong Trach commune humorously said, his eyes sparkling with joy.

Civilized

Source: https://www.baoquangbinh.vn/kinh-te/202501/bung-sang-bien-cuong-2224040/