Urging the contractor to expedite progress, the Chairman of EVNNPT requested the selection of a replacement contractor.

After inspecting several locations where the foundation work for the pylons was progressing slowly, the Chairman of EVNNPT decided to mobilize other contractors to provide support and urgently requested the selection of a replacement contractor to ensure the progress of the entire project.

On February 28, 2024, in Nga Son district, Thanh Hoa province, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Tung - Chairman of the Board of Directors and Head of the Steering Committee for the construction of the 500 kV transmission line project, circuit 3, from Quang Trach to Pho Noi of the National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT) - inspected the construction progress of Phuong Hanh Company Limited (Phuong Hanh contractor) at the construction site of the 500 kV transmission line project from Nam Dinh I Thermal Power Plant to Thanh Hoa.

EVNNPT Chairman Nguyen Tuan Tung (second from left) discusses with the Director of Phuong Hanh Company Limited about the contractor's shortcomings and solutions to accelerate construction progress.

To date, the Nam Dinh I Thermal Power Plant - Thanh Hoa 500kV Transmission Line Project has handed over 180/180 foundation locations, 35/74 spans, completed the casting of 85/180 tower foundations, and is currently constructing access roads, excavating, casting foundations or driving piles simultaneously at 94/180 foundation locations. One steel tower has been installed, and 11 steel towers are currently being installed.

Based on the project progress report, the construction situation of the contractor Phuong Hanh, and on-site inspections, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Tung, Chairman of the Board of Directors of EVNNPT, also stated that, as of now, the construction progress of the contractor Phuong Hanh at the Nam Dinh 1 - Thanh Hoa 500kV Transmission Line Project, Nam Dinh 1 - Pho Noi Thermal Power Plant, Quynh Luu - Thanh Hoa has been very slow compared to the schedule in the signed contract and the operational schedule of EVNNPT and Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN).

Specifically, some foundation sites have been handed over for 1-2 months, but the contractor Phuong Hanh has not yet commenced construction, and has not provided enough pile driving equipment for the foundation sites, which are currently critical to the project's progress and pose many risks of delaying the project's schedule.

Some foundation locations in Nga Son district still lack access roads for construction.

To ensure the energization of the 500 kV circuit 3 transmission line projects in June 2024 as directed by the Prime Minister , the Chairman of the Board of Directors of EVNNPT requested the General Director of EVNNPT, the Director of the Northern Project Management Board, the Central Project Management Board, and relevant departments and units to decisively manage and urge the contractor Phuong Hanh to supplement manpower, construction machinery, and pile driving machines; implement 3 shifts and 4 teams of workers and deploy the "4 on-site" approach… to accelerate the construction progress of the foundations to compensate for the delays and ensure the overall progress of the project.

For the immediate future, regarding the foundation pillars at positions 59 and 67, Mr. Tung requested that other contractors who are progressing well in their respective parts of the work and have the necessary equipment be brought in to assist with construction and speed up the process.

For the 11 pile foundation locations where the land has been handed over for longer than stipulated in the signed contract, but the contractor Phuong Hanh has not yet commenced construction, it is required that the contractor comply with the signed contract regulations and urgently organize the selection of a replacement contractor in accordance with the law, ensuring that the contractor meets the necessary capacity, experience, and project schedule requirements: completing the foundation construction by March 2024 as directed by EVN.

Construction at location 70

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of EVNNPT also requested the contractors to seriously implement the mobilization of additional manpower, construction machinery, and pile driving machines; to carry out construction in 3 shifts and 4 teams and implement the "4 on-site" principle..., to cooperate closely with the investor and local authorities to ensure the completion of all foundation excavation work in February 2024, and the completion of pile foundation construction in March 2024 as directed by EVN.

To meet the tight deadlines and proactively manage subsequent work, the Chairman of EVNNPT has requested all relevant parties to immediately review, manage, and expedite the supply of steel poles, materials, and equipment to ensure they align with the construction schedule, preventing situations where "foundations are completed but waiting for poles" or "poles are completed but waiting for conductors, insulators, and accessories."

The General Directorate of EVNNPT proactively directed and developed a plan to mobilize all resources from contractors, units within EVNNPT (Power Transmission Companies), units within EVN (Power Companies), and local units… to support and carry out power outages, pole erection, and simultaneous wire pulling along the line in the coming period.

The consulting and supervision units, as well as the supervisory officers of the Project Management Boards such as NPMB and CPMB, are required to regularly update and report on the progress, keep construction logs, and take photos of the construction site for each foundation location of the project as per regulations.

Also on February 28th, EVNNPT General Director Pham Le Phu inspected the construction progress of the 500 kV circuit 3 transmission line project, the Quynh Luu - Thanh Hoa section, and the 500 kV Thanh Hoa substation.

The project commenced on January 18, 2024, and by February 27, 2024, 1/200 of the column foundations had been cast. Construction of access roads, excavation, and simultaneous foundation casting are underway at 159/200 locations.

EVNNPT General Director Pham Le Phu (3rd from the left) inspects construction at location 10.

Currently, the project still faces some land acquisition issues in Nghe An and Thanh Hoa provinces. Both localities are actively working to complete the final procedures to hand over the foundation sites to the investor. Construction units are now simultaneously carrying out work on the foundation sites that have been handed over.

Inspecting the construction progress of the 500 kV circuit 3 transmission line project at position 35 (Truong Lam commune, Nghi Son town) constructed by Alphanam E&C; position 53A (Truong Lam commune, Nghi Son town) constructed by Song Da 11; position 87 (Te Loi commune, Nong Cong district) constructed by Thang Long TIC; position 126 (Te Loi commune, Nong Cong district) constructed by the AIT and Thu Do Joint Venture; position 166A (Tien Nong commune, Trieu Son district) constructed by Viet A; position 191 (Minh Tam commune, Thieu Hoa district) constructed by Phuong Hanh; and the progress of the Thanh Hoa 500 kV substation and connecting transmission line, EVNNPT General Director Pham Le Phu acknowledged and highly appreciated CPMB and the units participating in the two projects for their efforts and active implementation of construction.

Construction of the 220 kV transmission line connecting from the Thanh Hoa 500 kV substation.

It was emphasized that these two projects are crucial for ensuring national energy security and must be completed by June 2024 as directed by the Prime Minister. Therefore, CPMB and the contractors are making even greater efforts to accelerate the project progress. CPMB needs to coordinate closely with local authorities to complete the handover of the remaining foundation site in February and the transmission line corridor before March 15, 2024.

Construction is underway on section 53 passing through Nghi Son town, Thanh Hoa province.

Overall, the current capabilities of the construction contractors do not meet the investor's operational requirements. With only 4 months remaining on the project and a large volume of work still to be done, EVNNPT leaders require the construction contractors to concentrate their human resources, materials, and machinery to work 3 shifts, 4 teams, 24/7, to accelerate construction progress, and complete the foundations before March 31, 2024, in order to proceed with pole erection and ensure the project is completed in June 2024 as directed by the Prime Minister.

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