The People’s Committee of Quang Nam Province has decided to cancel 23 hydropower projects after reviewing the local hydropower development plan.
The move followed damage to the dam at Song Tranh 2 hydropower plant was continual earthquakes occurring in this area.
Among those, the committee has requested to stop research for 18 hydropower projects which still face financial difficulties in investment.
Two, namely Bong Mieu and Ha Ra have been removed from the province’s hydropower development plan and three others namely Song Tranh 5, Ta Moih and Ma Cooih have not yet been added into the plan despite localities’ proposal.
These projects have been suspended due to the impacts they would have on the population, production of forest land and the environment, inefficient investment or they were not implemented according to committe's schedule.
However, Quang Nam authorities still allowed two projects to continue, A Grong and Dak Sa.
The provincial Department of Industry and Trade said, Quang Nam has 44 planned hydropower plants with a total capacity of 1,584.6 MW, including 11 already operational and 11 more underway. By the end of 2015, 22 projects are expected to be completed.
According to Vietnam News Agency, the National Assembly Committee of Science, Technology and Environment has recently held a meeting to discuss about concerns about earthquakes at Song Tranh 2 Hydropower Plant area.
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Le Dinh Tien said, due to climate change, it is difficult to predict climatic phenomenon. This is the first time Vietnam has experienced such a high frequency of earthquakes and this should be carefully monitored.
