Proposal to expand Son La Hydropower Plant

(sonla.gov.vn) On July 21, 2025, Comrade Nguyen Dinh Viet, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation chaired a meeting on voters' recommendations related to adjusting the investment progress to expand the Son La Hydropower Plant. Attending the meeting were Comrade Cha A Cua, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, Comrade Vi Duc Tho, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, along with Vice Chairmen of the Provincial People's Committee, the Provincial National Assembly Delegation, leaders of departments, branches and related units.

The Provincial People's Committee met to discuss voters' recommendations regarding adjusting the investment progress to expand the Son La Hydropower Plant.

According to the report of Son La Hydropower Company, with an installed capacity of 2,400 MW, including 6 units, the plant plays an important role in ensuring national energy security, flood control, and increasing income for people with a large water surface area. In 2024, the amount of excess water discharged through the spillway reached over 3,450 cubic meters. The company proposed to build 2 units with a total capacity of 800 MW on the right bank of the plant, about 1.2 km downstream from the dam center. This option does not affect the environment, production and resettlement. The expansion of the plant will contribute to reducing resource waste, effectively using water resources, and increasing local budget revenue.

Leader of Son La Hydropower Company speaking.

Leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Environment spoke.

The delegates highly agreed on the implementation policy, however, they requested the Company to clarify further the following issues: whether increasing the water surface level of the project will ensure the safety of the dam; the operating process; and the issue of balancing power sources. In addition, Son La is also researching the development of surface water power, and the necessity of the project needs to be considered.

The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee spoke.

Speaking at the meeting, comrade Nguyen Dinh Viet emphasized: Son La Hydropower Plant is not only a national key energy project but also contributes to ensuring energy security, as well as developing the local socio-economy . However, the investment in the plant needs to be carefully prepared, suggesting that Son La Hydropower Company supplement and complete the documents, carefully analyze the technical, legal and economic factors, and make necessary adjustments to accelerate the investment progress to expand Son La Hydropower Plant in a feasible direction. From there, synthesize and send to the Provincial National Assembly Delegation, the Provincial People's Committee to propose to the National Assembly and the Central Ministries and branches in the coming time.

Quoc Tuan

 

Source: https://sonla.gov.vn/tin-kinh-te/de-xuat-mo-rong-nha-may-thuy-dien-son-la-928900