04 conditions for approval of hydropower planning in Vietnam

04 conditions for approval of hydropower planning in Vietnam (Internet image)

Article 8 of Circular 43/2012/TT-BCT stipulates that the hydropower planning in Vietnam to be approved must satisfy the following conditions:

- Having adequate dossier and content of planning as prescribed.

- Being consistent with the relevant strategies, planning, projects and works.

- The materials, data, result of calculation and analysis in the planning must ensure the quality and accuracy.

- Rationally exploiting the hydro power resources of the basin under study, minimizing the negative impact on the society and environment to achieve the highest benefit to society and the State.

Within 10 working days after receiving a written explanation and appraisal opinion receiving and planning dossier specified in Clause 7, Article 7 of Circular 43/2012/TT-BCT, the Ministry of Industry and Trade shall consider and make a decision on approval for hydropower planning if meeting the conditions specified in Clause 8 of this Article or has a written reply to the submitting agency on the reason why the hydropower planning was not (or has not yet been) approved.

Main contents of hydropower planning approval in Vietnam includes

- Information about the expected site for works construction (geographic coordinates, name of commune, district, province, river and spring), extraction scheme, tasks and main technical parameters (basin area to Flv dam line, the normal rising water level MNDBT and dead water level MNC, flood prevention capacity Wpl (if any), the downstream water level of smallest plant MNHLmin, installed capacity Nlm and average output power Eo) of projects.

- Technical and economic social and environmental issues of the projects should be taken into account and implemented during the process of construction research.

- Expected progress or priority over the construction of projects.

Within 03 working days after the approval of hydropower planning, the Ministry of Industry and Trade shall send 01 original of approval decision together with 01 copy of the dossier of complete planning to the provincial People's Committee and the Service of Trade and Industry in the area where located the hydropower project; send 01 original of the approval decision to the Vietnam Electricity Group, the ministries, sectors, agencies and units concerned.

More details can be found in Circular 43/2012/TT-BCT, which comes into force from February 10, 2013.

Le Vy

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