VietNamNet Bridge –Water levels of many hydropower reservoirs in central provinces have continued to decline and affected the power generation with some plants running at only one-fourth capacity.

Speaking to the Daily early this week, Hoang Anh Tuan, deputy general director of Vinh Son-Song Hinh Hydropower Company in Binh Dinh Province, said that the water volume of Vinh Son hydropower reservoir has declined to 10 million cubic meters compared to 16 million cubic meters measured in mid-March.

According to Tuan, with almost no rain and a small water volume flowing to the reservoir, Vinh Son Hydropower Plant generated only five million kWh last month, equivalent to one-fourth of the plant’s average monthly power volume.

“Vinh Son Hydropower Plant is currently operated in some peak hours in the afternoon only. Five million kWh produced last month is the lowest power volume ever over the past decade,” Tuan said.

Meanwhile, Le Dinh Ban, deputy general director of Quang Nam Province-based A Vuong Hydropower Company, said that the water volume flowing to A Vuong Hydropower Plant’s reservoir has barely improved.

The plant had stopped running for a month since the middle of March due to a low water volume of only 60 million cubic meters. However, the plant has resumed its operation as the water volume has now risen to nearly 100 million cubic meters, or 40% of the reservoir’s capacity.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, the average water flow in major rivers in the central region is 5-65% lower than in last year’s same period.

In addition, the current water volumes of many irrigation reservoirs in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Ngai provinces and Danang City now account for 30-50% of their designed capacities. Some other reservoirs in Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan and Kon Tum provinces see water volumes equivalent to only 0-23% of the reservoirs’ capacities.

According to Vietnam Electricity Group, the total water volume of hydropower plants nationwide will lack around 5.3 billion cubic meters in this year’s dry season, with the central region lacking some 2.6 billion cubic meters.

Source: SGT