Mr. Lo Van Cuong - Standing Vice Chairman of Dien Bien Provincial People's Committee said that the province has just planned to inspect the safety assessment of dams, reservoirs, and disaster prevention of hydropower project owners in the area in 2026.
The focus of the inspection is to promptly urge hydropower project owners to overcome shortcomings, limitations and risks of incidents.
From there, ensure absolute safety for dams and reservoirs as well as the lives and property of people in downstream areas during the peak rainy and flood season.
According to Mr. Cuong, the Provincial People's Committee drastically directed the handling of administrative violations regarding dam and reservoir safety and disaster prevention.
For cases beyond authority, the inspection team will propose to competent authorities to handle them strictly according to regulations. This is to improve the responsibility of organizations and individuals managing and exploiting hydropower projects in complying with the law.
According to the plan, the inspection is expected to take place in April and May 2026, right before the rainy and flood season. Data and records will be inspected from the beginning of 2025 until the actual inspection time.
According to the reporter's investigation, inspection work is divided into two forms.
Directly inspecting the reality at 13 hydropower projects currently operating and generating electricity (Nam Muc, Trung Thu, Nam He, Long Tao... ) and 4 projects under construction (Chieng So 2, Nam Muc 2, Muong Tung, Ma Thi Ho).
Along with that, 10 projects (Phi Linh, Muong Muon, Nam Nua, Pa Khoang...) must self-inspect and send results reports to the Department of Industry and Trade.
The inspection content will review the reservoir operation process, surface water exploitation licenses, operating monitoring systems and downstream warnings.
In addition, disaster response plans, emergency response plans and dam safety status reports are also mandatory items to be inspected.
In particular, the working delegation will directly inspect the field, assess the current safety status of dams, reservoirs and operating equipment.
The inter-sectoral inspection team will be headed by representatives of the leaders of the Department of Industry and Trade. Also participating are representatives of agencies: Department of Agriculture and Environment, Provincial Military Command, Fire and Rescue Police Department (Dien Bien Provincial Police), representatives of People's Committees of communes where the project is located and specialists of the Department of Industrial Management and Energy (Department of Industry and Trade).
Currently, Dien Bien Irrigation Management Company Limited is managing and operating 13 water reservoirs with a total designed capacity at an average water level of over 66 million m3.
Pa Khoang Lake (Muong Phang commune) is the largest reservoir in the province with a capacity of more than 40 million m3. Nam Khau Hu Lake (Thanh Nua commune) ranks second with a capacity of more than 7.5 million m3.
