Discover the century-old Hoa Binh Hydroelectric Project

Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant is a great project in the 20th century in our country. Whether you have visited many times or just for the first time, you will be attracted by many special things. Therefore, after more than 30 years of inauguration, this project of the century is always a source of pride and has become a destination not to be missed.

The majestic Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant when releasing floodwaters

The dam body is 128m high.

Water discharged from the turbines

Sluice gates and underground construction systems in the mountain.

In late September 2025, thousands of visitors from the province to Bac Ninh, Thanh Hoa provinces... and the capital Hanoi chose Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant as their destination. Here, the tour guides were busy and enthusiastic in guiding visitors to learn about the greatness and special features of the project as well as its great role and position in the country's construction.

Tunnel entrance to the area where 8 units are operating

Coming here, visitors can enter the tunnel in the mountain to visit and learn about the operating generators. Or go up to the surface of the hydroelectric dam to admire the whole view of the project, looking poetic like Ha Long Bay on the mountain and overlooking the Hoa Binh urban area. Offer incense at the largest statue of Uncle Ho in the country, simulating the image of him pointing down the river to conquer the fierce "Northern River" of the past; visit the museum and the place where the letter is kept until 2,100 to be opened.

Tour guide introduces the 8 generators and scale of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant

Listening to the schedule, we and the group of tourists from Hanoi were eager to explore . Tour guide Nguyen Thi Binh first led the group about 400m deep into the mountain tunnel, through the humming ventilation doors, the rail system carrying super heavy transformers to increase voltage, to the area where 8 generators are operating. "We are standing at the position equivalent to the middle level of the legendary Da River. Deeper down to the bottom level is more than 30m" - tour guide Binh informed.

Below the generators is more than 30m deep.

Indeed, looking at the top of the massive generators in the mountain, learning about the operating model below, we admire even more the cadres, engineers, workers of our country and the Soviet experts who built the great underground project.

The Da River has many rapids and ferocious rapids, all students have known it through the work "The Ferryman of the Da River" by writer Nguyen Tuan. Raxungamzatop - a famous poet of Soviet literature also described the Da River: "The white rapids, like a lion's mane". On August 17, 1962, Uncle Ho visited the Hoa Binh Socialist Labor Youth School (in Yen Mong commune, now Tan Hoa ward), when passing the ferocious Da River, he pointed down the river and said: "We must turn pirates into irrigation..., we must conquer the river that will bring long-term benefits to all the people".

Survey to select a site for the construction of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant. Photo: TL

In 1971, the Politburo realized Uncle Ho's instructions, issued a Resolution on the construction of the Hoa Binh Hydroelectric Project on the Da River. The project was designed for multiple purposes: flood control, electricity generation, irrigation, and improvement of waterway traffic. In the context of our country's backward science and technology at that time, the former Soviet Union helped conduct geological surveys and exploratory drilling to select the location to build a hydroelectric dam along the Da River. As a result, the most suitable location was selected in Hoa Binh. To serve the construction of the hydroelectric power plant, we cannot forget the great sacrifice of houses, fields, and ancestors' graves of the indigenous people who gave up land for the construction site.

Prime Minister Pham Van Dong gave the order to start construction of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant. Photo: TL

On November 6, 1979, Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant officially started construction in the joy, expectation and determination of the whole country. After the sound of a mine exploding on Ong Tuong Hill, Prime Minister Pham Van Dong threw a stone into the Da River - the signal to start construction of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant. To build the hydropower plant, it had to go through 2 phases of filling the river: Phase 1 in 1986, Phase 2 in 1988.

Festival of filling Da River to build Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant. Photo: TL

At that time, controlling the fierce Da River faced many challenges and dangers. However, with the spirit of "For the future electricity of the Fatherland", everyone was enthusiastic and overcame difficulties. At the peak of the construction site, there were up to 40,000 workers from all over the country and 2,500 Soviet experts. The construction site was bustling day and night with the intensity of "3 shifts, 4 shifts", overcoming the sun and the flood; there were legendary labor slogans such as "Level 81 or die". There were difficult moments when the Da River "got angry" like the historic flood in 1985, threatening to break the dike and sweep away the results of 6 years of construction. With intelligence and iron will, the story of "Son Tinh, Thuy Tinh" in modern times was written right at the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant construction site.

Construction of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant. Photo: TL

Many miracles have been achieved: Construction units have dug 20,556,103 m3 ^and filled 26,631,103 ^{m3 of} earth and rock; installed 46,721 tons of equipment and metal structures; poured 1,899,103 m3 of concrete ^{; drilled and} sprayed 205,000m. In the middle of the dam body, the core is filled with waterproof clay. As an underground construction in the mountain , it can withstand earthquakes of level 8 and strong impacts from the outside.

Tourists visit the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant model at the Museum

Operational model of the generator and construction machinery at the Hoa Binh Hydropower Museum.

Although it was glorious, 168 Soviet cadres, workers and experts fell. The memorial to those who sacrificed their lives while building the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant was built next to the plant to commemorate and show gratitude for their contributions to the country's electricity; affirming the beautiful friendship between Vietnam and the Soviet Union, now the Russian Federation.

The letter “To the next generation” is placed in a concrete block and will be opened on January 1, 2100.

The selfless efforts were duly rewarded. On December 30, 1988 - a historic moment for the country and the Electricity industry, Unit 1 officially connected to the national grid, conquering the Da River. On April 4, 1994, Unit 8 - the last unit - was completed, Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant reached a total capacity of 1,920 MW, the largest in Southeast Asia at that time; basically solving the power shortage in our country for a long time.

Joy of inauguration of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant. Photo: TL

The inauguration day of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant (December 20, 1994) became a national festival, marking the result of 15 years of hard work and selflessness of many cadres, engineers and experts, creating a great project in the 20th century. In the 21st century, after more than 36 years of operation (from Unit 1), the project has always affirmed its great role in the industrialization and modernization of the country and its multi-purpose effectiveness.

Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant Expansion is speeding up construction progress.

To make the most of water resources, in early 2021, the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant Expansion Project officially started construction, installing 2 units with a total capacity of 480 MW. When the project is completed, the total capacity of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant will increase to 2,400 MW and return to the largest position in Southeast Asia along with Son La Hydropower Plant.

The Da River was conquered, Hoa Binh Lake was a vast source of "white gold".

On August 19, 2025, on the occasion of the successful August Revolution anniversary, Unit 1 generated electricity, connected to the national grid and is striving to soon complete Unit 2, welcoming the 14th National Party Congress. The project continues to affirm Vietnam's intelligence, mettle and strength in the new era.

Cam Le

Source: https://baophutho.vn/kham-pha-cong-trinh-the-ky-thuy-dien-hoa-binh-239902.htm