Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Ministry warns of “hydro-power bombs”

VietNamNet Bridge - The Ministry of Industry and Trade has proposed that the government cancels 38 approved hydropower plant projects in the central region as they pose serious threats to the environment and society.

Another 35 projects should be amended, it has said.

The recommendations came from the results of the MoIT’s inspection and evaluation of the planning, investment and operation of hydro-power projects in the central region, after the public and many National Assembly deputies expressed their suspection of the “contribution” of these projects to terrible floods last year in this region.

The projects, which were planned in nine provinces including Quang Nam and Dak Lak, were placed under a government-ordered review last November after several hydropower reservoirs were blamed for worsening floods during the Ketsana and Mirinae typhoons.

According to the ministry, the central and central highlands provinces currently are home to 393 hydropower plant projects, and Dak Lak Province has recently started studying 79 more “potential” locations for hydropower plants.

Also in its report to the government, the ministry said hydropower reservoirs in Quang Tri, Quang Nam and Phu Yen provinces that were blamed for worsening floods by discharging water during typhoons last year had complied with regulations on water release.

However, due to shortcomings in the capacity of staff operating the reservoirs and cooperation among related agencies, the release wasn’t conducted in a timely and effective way, the ministry said.

The Ministry also worried about the construction quality of hydropower works, which can turn hydro-power dams into “time bombs” and threats the live of million people.

Meanwhile, related to the conflict of water resources in the Vu Gia river between the central city of Da Nang and the investor of Dak Mi 4 Hydropower Plant in Quang Nam province, Da Nang has sent the conflict profile to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment for consideration.

Deputy director of Da Nang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Huynh Van Thang, said that in case this ministry can’t solve the conflict, Da Nang would follow this case to the end, even bring it to the government.

“Without timely measures, when Dak Mi 4 blocks the flow next year, the Vu Gia downstream will fall into tragedy of drought,” Thang said.

Experts calculated that once this hydro-power plant runs, it will “take away” around 400 million cubic meter of water of the Vu Gia river downstream a year because this volume of water will run to the Thu Bon river.

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Hydro projects and deforestation contribute to central flood crises
09/11/2009

VietNamNet Bridge – Former Agriculture and Rural Development Deputy Minister Dr Vu Trong Hong spoke with Tuoi Tre Cuoi Tuan (Weekly Youth) about the role of hydro-electricity plants and deforestation in recent floodings.

More than 4,000ha of forest in Quang Nam Province have been destroyed to make way for the building of hydro-electricity plants. Was that necessary?

Previously, the former Ministry of Irrigation decided that the central region was an inappropriate area to build reservoirs. It took more than a decade for it to approve the building of a reservoir for the Ta Trach hydro-electricity plant in Thua Thien-Hue Province. Though the reservoir still releases flood water, it doesn’t happen often.

This highlights the fact the central region should not destroy forest to build small hydro-electricity plants because forests help stop flooding and ensure the supply of water to people in the central region.

Also, if deforestation continues, climate change and rising sea levels will make the region suffer greater misery.

Everyone knew deforestation would cause floods, so why do they still build hydro-electricity plants. Is it wrong?

If the forests still existed it would reduce flooding by preventing the concentration of water. The loss of the forests has caused major floods and devastation in the region.

Added to this, some hydro-electricity plants in the central region store water before the flood season for fear of not having enough rain to generate electricity.

So flood water flows into full reservoirs and causes them to spill over.

Does this mean the flood disasters have occurred as a direct result of deforestation and the wrong operation of some hydro-electricity plants?

That’s right. Deforestation has resulted in serious floods and the hydro-electricity firms have failed in their duty to curb flooding.

There is a contradiction between building hydro-electricity plants and flood prevention. Priority should be given to recognising this contradiction to stop creating disasters.

For instance, if a dam is weak it must be repaired and in doing so the loss of electricity generation must be borne.

Such should be the case in flood control, instead of continuously storing water and letting local people suffer from floods.

If private hydro-electricity plants have exposed shortcomings, why has Quang Nam had up to 53 approved hydro-electricity plants?

Obviously, it is not a reasonable plan and will continue to cause disasters, particularly if accompanied by deforestation.

They also are a disaster for the environment because all the indigenous plants are destroyed, causing changes to the ecology and biology. Toxic and very special creatures arise and salt water penetrates, leading to the destruction of forests for land.

The former irrigation ministry was obviously in a divided mind as it took more than a decade to decide to build the hydro-electricity plants.

Before that it took 30-40 years to make a decision to build a big reservoir. For a small reserve , it took up to 10 years. Now people are not so careful and the consequences are obvious.

Is it time to review the forest protection and hydro-electricity development policies?

It is time to raise the alarm about forest protection and hydro-electricity policies. Is it necessary to build so many hydro-electricity plants and pay such a high price: floods and biological degredation? Also, how will the Government respond to hydro-electricity plants which have been built?

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) once concluded the problems in the central region had exposed contradictions between the policies on forestry and hydro-electricity developments.

In the past, the irrigation ministry was in charge of building reservoirs. The Ministry of Forestry looked after forests. Later, they merged to form MARD which was responsible for all these issues.

But now, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Trade and Industry approve reservoirs and small hydro-electricity plants.

That is not appropriate. MARD should be responsible about building hydro plants that adversely impact forests and water sources.

It is important to devolve responsibility on provincial People’s Committees to avoid a situation where they don’t know how many hydro-electricity plants are operating in their localities.