Efforts to bring electricity to remote areas

In recent times, Thanh Hoa province has decisively directed the acceleration of the construction of national power grid projects in many remote and mountainous communes. Bringing electricity to villages not only completes essential infrastructure systems, serving the daily lives and production of the people, but also creates momentum to promote socio-economic development, sustainable poverty reduction, and ensure national defense and security in mountainous areas.

Electricity workers in Muong Lat inspect the loop circuit system in Muong Lat commune. Photo: Xuan Thu.

Many years ago, electricity to the communes of Muong Lat, Muong Chanh, Quang Chieu, Tam Chung, Pu Nhi, Nhi Son, Muong Ly, and Trung Ly depended on a single 35kV power line. With a length of nearly 40km, the power supply from Trung Ly commune to the center of Muong Lat commune passed through rugged mountainous terrain, resulting in frequent power outages whenever natural disasters occurred. In some years, in these high-altitude, border communes, natural disasters caused power poles to break and power lines to be severed, resulting in power outages lasting nearly a month, seriously impacting the lives, production, and socio- economic activities of the local people.

Understanding the importance of ensuring a stable, safe, and continuous power supply for the people, Muong Lat Power Company researched and surveyed to propose to Thanh Hoa Power Company the implementation of an investment plan to connect a loop circuit using two 35kV lines, originating from two 110kV substations. These are line 371 of the 110kV Mai Chau substation in Phu Tho province and line 374 of the 110kV Ba Thuoc substation in Thanh Hoa province. After being approved by Thanh Hoa Power Company, Muong Lat Power Company actively coordinated with consulting and construction units to carry out surveys, land clearance, and design work.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hiep, Team Leader of the Muong Lat Area Power Management Team, Thanh Hoa Power Company, said: “Despite construction under complex and harsh terrain and weather conditions, with some sections of the power line having to cross high mountain slopes and others crossing the Ma River for nearly 300 meters, with the efforts and cooperation of the local government, the project was completed on schedule.” The commissioning of the loop system has increased the total volume of power management and operation by Muong Lat Power Company to 2 35kV power lines, 130 substations, with a capacity of nearly 11,500kVA, and a total length of nearly 280km. The newly invested power projects not only gradually overcome the prolonged power outages during the rainy season but also help to make operations more flexible, reduce power loss rates, and contribute to ensuring energy security in the border region.

With electricity, people in the highland and border villages have more opportunities to develop their economy. Mr. Do Dinh Quoc, from Suoi Long village, Tam Chung commune, happily said: “Before, we had to use water turbines to get electricity for daily life. Unstable voltage damaged many appliances due to weather conditions and posed many safety risks. Since having the electricity system, we are very happy; daily life and production are much easier.”

In reality, in mountainous and border areas with rugged and complex terrain, people live in clusters. In some areas, power lines stretch for hundreds of kilometers but only supply electricity to a small number of households. Therefore, investing in the power grid in these areas requires large capital, long construction times, and harsh conditions. Furthermore, electricity consumption in these areas is very low. Thus, when investing in mountainous and border regions, Thanh Hoa Power Company recognizes that profit cannot be measured; instead, social significance and responsibility to the community must be the primary goals. Currently, along with improving the capacity of the power infrastructure, the company has accelerated investment in key projects to combat overload, upgrade medium and low-voltage power grids, add interconnected loops, and enhance load balancing between areas.

From 2024 to the present, many 110kV power line and substation projects have been completed and put into operation on schedule, contributing to improving transmission capacity. Simultaneously, the company continues to focus on investing in medium and low voltage power grids to improve the quality of electricity in rural and urban areas. In 2025, the company completed 132 projects to renovate and build new power grids, including 1,027 km of medium voltage lines, 2,401 km of low voltage lines, substations with a total capacity of 265 MVA, and the removal of 5 intermediate substations. From the beginning of 2026 to the present, the company has implemented 150 projects according to plan, including 10 110kV projects, 140 medium and low voltage projects, and other investment projects. To date, the company has completed the energization of 67 out of 67 assigned projects. The focus on investing in the synchronized development of power grids has contributed to ensuring a stable and safe electricity supply, meeting the electricity needs for socio-economic development in localities throughout the province, especially in remote and disadvantaged areas. After many years of effort in providing electricity to villages and hamlets in the highlands that previously lacked electricity, Thanh Hoa Power Company has now brought the national power grid to 100% of communes, with 99.98% of households having access to electricity.

Currently, 761 households in 23 villages across 9 communes in the province still lack electricity. In the coming period, Thanh Hoa Power Company will continue to survey and assess the situation in conjunction with planning, transportation, and other technical infrastructure to ensure long-term investment efficiency. In addition, the company will continue to propose and request the Northern Power Corporation to approve the investment plan for these households under the Rural, Mountainous, and Island Electrification Program, with a total investment of 40.9 billion VND.

The task of "eliminating areas without access to the national power grid" still faces many difficulties. However, witnessing the positive changes in the highland villages, Thanh Hoa Power Company is further motivated to bring electricity closer to every home, helping people in the highlands to have better conditions for economic development and improve their quality of life.

Spring and Autumn

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/no-luc-dua-dien-nbsp-ve-vung-sau-vung-xa-289627.htm