VietNamNet Bridge – Certain hydropower plant developers might have thought that staying beyond safety limits is not a dear price they have to pay when developing power projects anywhere they want. Regardless of the warnings by experts and international organizations, Vietnam has seen small and large hydropower plants mushrooming as investors are trying to take huge profits from the exploitation of natural resources without proper care about construction safety or other adverse impacts on the environment and local communities.

The surge in hydropower plants over the years has resulted in a host of problems including flash floods, earthquakes, forest losses and ecological destruction. Recently, those projects have again been found to go beyond safety limits as they have been threatening communities in downstream areas and workers at construction sites as well.

By on December 18, 12 workers had remained trapped inside a tunnel at the Da Dang - Da Chomo hydropower plant in Lam Dong Province after a section of the tunnel, around 500 meters from the hatch, collapsed Tuesday. In the past the project had several minor incidents on its record.

All eyes are on the fate of the workers as a large number of rescuers including fire fighters and medics have been mobilized to the scene. Meanwhile, the investors are nowhere to be found.

The rescuers have installed a ventilation conduit to allow oxygen to enter the area where the workers are trapped. Through the conduit, they have carried drinking water, milk and food to the workers, who said they are all in stable health condition.

Two government ministers, who arrived at the scene the following day to supervise the rescue operation, have urged the rescue team to pull the workers out.

The incident, however, is not the first in Vietnam. In the past, hydropower plants contributed significantly to the country’s social and economic development but they have also exposed many problems and weaknesses that needed to be solved. Small hydropower plants have been spelling trouble as their investors often bypass safety regulations due to financial constraints.

As reported by Thoi bao Kinh te Sai Gon, Pham Sy Liem, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Construction Association, sounds the alarm bell over construction safety at hydropower projects after many incidents have happened. Safety is one of the four priorities for construction in addition to quality, price and progress. However, safety is normally low on the priority list at construction sites, particularly hydropower projects.

In October last year, floodwater swept into a tunnel of La Hieng 2 hydropower plant in Phu Yen Province, killing at least one person. The incident was attributed to the wrong procedure of construction.

In November 2012, Dak Mek 3 hydropower plant dam in Daklak Province was destroyed when a 60-ton dump truck that was carrying a rock hit a section of the dam, causing 60 meters of the 80-meter dam to collapse and killing a driver who was at the scene. Poor design and construction was the main reason.

Incidents have been detected everywhere. In August 2012, Ia Krel 2, whose shoddy construction was blamed for a breach in June 2013, wreaked havoc on farmers in the downstream in Gia Lai Province. The resulting floodwaters made their way downstream around 10 kilometers, damaging rice, cassava and other fields. The investor has not yet made compensation for the affected households.

“Incidents like dam breaks and tunnel collapses have still repeated themselves at hydropower projects. I think that it’s high time to tackle the problems and authorities should take project supervision and accident prevention more seriously,” Liem says.   

Minister of Construction Trinh Dinh Dung on Wednesday ordered a stop to construction work on the project. Before this incident occurred, Dan Tri newspaper reported that the People’s Council of Gia Lai Province had proposed halting Ia Krel 2 hydropower project to avoid impacting on the livelihoods of ethnic minority groups, saying eight of 39 hydropower dams and 11 of 14 irrigation reservoirs are not yet registered for dam safety.

Obviously, authorities must take prompt actions to prevent similar incidents and raise awareness of construction safety.

SGT/VNN