Project behind schedule
According to the records, Pac Khuoi Hydropower Plant (now in Tan Giang Ward) is designed with a capacity of 7MW, an average electricity output of 24.42 million kWh/year, and a total investment of 221.1 billion VND. The investor is Su Pan 1 Hydropower Joint Stock Company. This is considered a project of great significance in adding clean power to the national grid, while contributing to the socio-economic development of the locality.
The project was approved by the People's Committee of Cao Bang province in Decision No. 1688/QD-UBND dated October 9, 2017. During the implementation process, the project was adjusted many times in 2018 and 2022. In March 2023, Pac Khuoi Hydropower Plant was officially started construction.
As of February 2025, the construction volume has reached about 65%. The investor once set a goal of completing the project and putting it into operation in the third quarter of 2025, considering this a project with a signboard to celebrate the 20th Cao Bang Provincial Party Congress.
In April 2025, the Secretary of the Cao Bang Provincial Party Committee directly inspected the construction progress. Here, the head of the Provincial Party Committee requested the investor and related units to closely coordinate with local authorities, completely resolve problems related to compensation and site clearance, and at the same time urgently complete items for the project to soon operate, contributing to providing clean energy, regulating flow, and creating more budget revenue for the locality.
However, by mid-September 2025, the project had not yet reached the finish line. At the construction site, the construction unit has just completed the manufacturing and installation of some items such as valve joints, spillways, water intakes, downstream of the factory; at the same time, continuing to process the garbage grille, garbage collectors, valve door beams, technical water supply pipes, turbine equipment and generators... With this progress, completing in time in 2025 is considered very difficult.
Another scandal in illegal mineral exploitation?
In addition to the story of slow progress, this project has also been reported to be related to illegal mineral exploitation. On January 17, 2025, the People's Committee of Hoa An district discovered that in the Pac Khuoi hydropower plant construction area managed by Su Pan 1 Hydropower Joint Stock Company, Tuan Minh Son Trading Service Company Limited (headquartered in Lang Son province) had exploited thousands of cubic meters of sand and gravel, although the exploitation license had expired from September 30, 2024.
Then, in April 2025, after receiving information from the people, the reporter recorded illegal sand mining at two locations in Pac Hao Na Phin and Na Din hamlets.
At the scene, there were excavators, trucks and workers directly hooked up the riverbed to get sand. It is estimated that thousands of cubic meters of sand have been exploited outside the permitted area.
In response to this violation, on May 8, 2025, the People's Committee of Cao Bang province issued Decision No. 596/QD-XPHC on administrative sanctions. The violating enterprise is Tuan Minh Son Trading Service Company Limited (headquartered in Lang Son province) which was fined VND 350 million for illegally exploiting 937.63m3 of sand in the area under construction of Pac Khuoi Hydropower Plant.
The enterprise also had to pay nearly 8.5 million VND to the Center for Natural Resources and Environment Monitoring for measurement costs, but did not have to remedy the consequences.
It can be seen that the Pac Khuoi hydropower plant with an investment capital of hundreds of billions of VND, if completed on schedule, will not only contribute to the development of renewable energy sources but also bring long-term benefits to the locality.
The prolonged delay and arising violations caused the initial target to be interrupted, posing a requirement for the responsibility of investors and management agencies in supervising and urging the project to be completed soon, avoiding wasting resources and development opportunities.
