Opportunity to restart Song Tranh 5 Hydropower Plant

Mr. Dao Boi Thuyen - former Chairman of the People's Committee of Hiep Duc district (a strong supporter of the construction of the Song Tranh 5 hydroelectric dam) measures the water level at 18m at Vuc Giang bridge during the flood on October 20, 2023. Photo: PL

In 2007, relevant agencies advised the Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee to include the Song Tranh 5 Hydropower Plant in the supplementary plan for small and medium-sized hydropower projects in the province. Subsequently, Power Company 3 proceeded with surveys and design preparations for construction. However, at that time, the leaders of Hiep Duc district were concerned about the impact on people's lives and did not agree, leading to the project being removed from the plan.

According to policymakers' calculations, if option 1 is chosen, the Song Tranh 5 Hydropower Plant will have a water level of 21m above sea level. Under this option, the roads from Tan Binh town, Que Tan commune, Song Tra, and the bypass road around Que Tho commune will not be flooded at all.

Specifically, the water level will remain 4m and 2m away from the Vuc Gieng Bridge and the Vuc Canh Bridge in Que Tho commune, about 6m away from the old Vuc Giang Bridge in Hiep Thuan commune, and about 4m away from the old Thau Dau Bridge in Hiep Hoa commune; and all houses in Que Tan, Que Tho, Song Tra, Thang Phuoc communes and Tan Binh town will not be flooded.

The flooded land area alone covers approximately 307 hectares, mainly consisting of streams, riverbanks, low-lying areas, and abandoned rice paddies. If we consider the potential income from this area, assuming no crop failure, the annual revenue would only be 5-6 billion VND, while the local government's budget revenue from the Song Tranh 5 Hydropower Plant reaches at least 40-45 billion VND per year. This doesn't even include the benefits to production and business generated by the electricity supply.

The section of the river flowing through Tan Binh town during the dry season. Photo: TRAN VAN LUAN

According to the designer's calculations, the Song Tranh 5 Hydropower Plant has 2 generating units, an installed capacity of 40MW, a maximum water head of 11.35m, a calculated water head of 8.85m, a total capacity of ^{17,870,000m³} , a usable capacity of ^3,400,000m³ , a maximum water flow rate of approximately ^532m³ /s, and an average annual electricity output of approximately 170 million kWh.

The project is located below the confluence of the Truong and Tranh rivers, in the area of ​​Tinh Yen (on the left bank) and Binh Kieu Duoi (on the right bank) of the former Hiep Hoa commune. At this location, if the project is built, it will be like adding a ninth bridge (after the eight bridges, including the suspension bridge, already built across the Tranh and Khang rivers in Hiep Duc district), facilitating travel for local residents to Tinh Yen and allowing them to cultivate this fertile land.

If the Song Tranh 5 hydroelectric power plant is built, industries such as aquaculture, river tourism , restaurants, cafes, and traditional boat racing festivals will certainly develop strongly, contributing to creating a new look for Tan Binh town in the not-too-distant future.

The Song Tranh 5 hydroelectric plant also acts as a giant air conditioning unit in the heart of the town, creating a cool and pleasant atmosphere year-round, and providing an inexhaustible source of fresh water for production and daily life for the people of Tan Binh town and surrounding areas.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/co-hoi-tai-khoi-dong-thuy-dien-song-tranh-5-3146976.html