Authorities in Quang Nam province received approval from the prime minister to cancel the construction of 20 hydropower projects.
Hydropower projects change environmental and cultural landscape
As a result, they have decided to cancel two projects while halting 18 others until 2015, the provincial Department of Industry and Trade said.
Nguyen Quang Thu, Director of the department said, the locality has approved 44 hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 1,584 MW and an expected power output of 6.26 billion kWh per year.
“The Vu Gia – Thu Bon River system houses up to 10 hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 1,147 MW and expected electricity output of 4,521 MW annually,” Thu noted.
The provincial government has made plans for the development of 34 small and medium-sized hydropower projects since 2010, with a combined capacity of 437.96 MW and annual power output of 1.74 billion kWh.
He said that the plans for hydropower development are in accordance with the government’s policies on national energy security, and have helped localities.
He also addressed the matter of ecological damage caused by bad planning for hydropower facilities, including destruction of natural habitats and relocation of communities.
"The plants now in operation have affected 3,270 households and forced 1,733 families to relocate. Song Tranh 2 hydropower plant alone forced over 1,000 households to relocate," he added.
The department’s report showed that people in the areas surrounding these plants have suffered from problems with soil fertility. Investors in the projects have allocated milpa, a crop growing system, to affected households that have suffered losses of more than two thirds of their land. Many families were compelled to leave their residences for new resettlement areas.
While over 11,000 hectares of land, including forestland, have been occupied for hydropower development projects, only 28 hectares have been replanted by green spaces.
On May 21, the prime minister sent an official document to the department to ask for tighter control over the hydropower industry.
The PM has also approved the cancellation of the 1MW Ha Ra and 0.6MW Bong Mieu hydropower projects.
He also approved the temporary halts to 18 other hydropower projects, including A Vuong 3, A Vuong 4, A Vuong 5, Song Bung 3, Song Bung 3A, Dak Di 1, Dak Di 2, and Dak Di 4.
As of May 30, only 32 out of 34 small to medium-sized hydropower projects are licensed for further investment, including eight plants that have been operational, with a combined capacity of 84.7 MW.