A closer look at the 'bottleneck' causing the billion-dollar pumping station to be 'thirsty' despite Hanoi being completely flooded.

Completed in 2020 with a capacity of 120 m³/second, the Yen Nghia pumping station is still unable to operate at full capacity because 17 households have not yet handed over the land, leaving the La Khe canal incomplete and creating a "bottleneck" that prevents the flow of water from the Nhue River to the pumping station.

Construction began in late 2015, and the Yen Nghia Pumping Station is Hanoi's largest flood control project, with 10 pumping units boasting a total capacity of 120 m³/second and a total investment of 7,466 billion VND. However, since its completion in 2020, the 10 pumping units at the Yen Nghia Pumping Station have never operated at full capacity, despite flooding occurring every time it rains in western Hanoi.

During the two periods of severe flooding in Hanoi in late September and early October, the Yen Nghia pumping station operated at a maximum of only 5-8 turbines.

The reason why the Yen Nghia pumping station has not been able to operate all 10 pumps is due to a lack of water, even though western Hanoi is experiencing severe flooding.

The Yen Nghia pumping station is still unable to operate at full capacity because 17 households have not yet handed over the land, leaving the La Khe canal incomplete and creating a "bottleneck" that prevents the flow of water from the Nhue River to the pumping station.

The project investor stated that 17 households have yet to hand over approximately 200 meters of land along the La Khê water canal.

The waterway in the La Khê canal narrows as it flows through areas where land has not yet been cleared.

Besides the areas that have not yet been cleared, there are still many unfinished construction sites along the La Khe water canal. This results in construction materials, soil, and rocks obstructing the flow of water in the La Khe canal.

Piles of soil, rocks, and construction waste are obstructing the flow of water in the canal.

According to a representative from the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment, simply closing the unfinished section of the canal will allow water from the west, especially from the Nhue River, to flow directly to the Yen Nghia pumping station, enabling the entire system to operate synchronously.

Many sections of the La Khê canal still look like a construction site.

A section of the canal, nearly 200 meters long, adjacent to Ngo Quyen Street has not yet been cleared.

The unfinished land clearance area is located on Ngo Quyen Street.

According to Mr. Le Van Du, Head of the Water Supply and Drainage Infrastructure Management Department (Hanoi Department of Construction), the city's drainage capacity has not yet met the planned targets. A prime example is the modern Yen Nghia pumping station, but to maximize its effectiveness, the canal system and connecting culverts must be fully completed.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/xa-hoi/can-canh-nut-that-co-chai-khien-tram-bom-nghin-ty-khat-nuoc-du-ha-noi-ngap-trang-20251009091616032.htm