Vietnam

Client: Department of Water Resources Management (DWRM), Vietnam, under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE).
NVE Mandate: Assist in formulation of the processes and capacity building package on licensing for water resources exploitation and utilization for hydropower.
Contract Value/ Duration: MNOK 6.157, started in 2006 and will be completed in 2011.
Type of Activities: Regulatory mechanisms: Hydropower licensing guidelines, standard licence documents and hydropower licence database. Work-shops, training courses, study visits, advice on actual licensing cases.
Work Completed 2010: One workshop, one study tour and staff training, particularly on hydropower licensing. Assisted on four cases of hydropower licensing (also for demonstra­tion/ learning).
Work in Progress 2010: Elaboration of hydropower licensing guidelines (final version). Development of database for hydropower licences.

Background:
The project has been conceived within the overall objectives of water resources management in Vietnam: Have sustainable - technically, environmentally and socially sound - management of the water resources, particularly as regards development of hy­dropower projects in the country.

The main specific goal is to establish licensing routines for hydropower projects which will involve all relevant authorities and stakeholders.

Activities and Outputs:
The two workshops planned for 2010 were compressed into one with same overall contents due to limited time and funding. The workshop dealt with comments on the second draft of the hydropower licens­ing guidelines and with preparation of and issuing of licence documents according to the law on water resources. The number of par­ticipants at the workshop counted around 30.

A study tour to Norway was organised in September 2010. Six high-level officials from MONRE attended the study tour which fo­cussed on hydropower licensing and develop­ment. The programme included presenta­tions at NVE, a visit to Norad, and a field trip from Oslo to the Western part of Norway; - several hydropower developments were vis­ited. The delegation from Vietnam found the study visit highly interesting and useful. Dur­ing 2010 NVE was also involved in four actual licensing cases in Vietnam as advisers. NVE gave comments on the quality and content of applications including EIAs, and commented on the implementation process, license condi­tions and need for environmental flows.

Results/Outcome:
The workshop and study tour have helped providing inputs to the final version of the hydropower licensing guidelines which NVE is committed to in the form of a handbook. Through presentations by the Vietnamese participants and from NVE’s side, through group work and discussions, and field visit observations all participants have gained new skills and insights. They have substan­tially improved their knowledge on how to deal with and evaluate licence applications under Vietnamese water law.

Through field visits, discussions and training they have also enhanced their qualifications for stipulation of all licence conditions and environmental flows related to hydropower development. The study tours and courses in Norway contributed duly to this outcome; - the awareness of how different aspects play together, including the important role of associated environmental and social issues, has been strengthened.

The project has initiated contact and cooperation between ministries that will last beyond this project, and presumably become an institutionalized part of licensing in Vietnam. The project activities have provided valuable input to the on-going revision of the Law on Water Resources. The above assessment of results is based on feedback from individual Vietnamese participants and from their respective institutions.