Thanh Hoa tightens inter-reservoir operation procedures

Photo caption — Trung Son Hydropower Plant in Trung Son commune, Thanh Hoa province, with a capacity of 260 MW, operates safely during the rainy and stormy season. Photo: Nguyen Nam/VNA

Up to now, most of the hydropower projects on the Ma River are operating safely, ensuring the safety of the reservoirs, promptly responding to unexpected situations, ensuring the safety of people in the area along the Ma River. Thereby, contributing to improving the effectiveness of flood control, reducing floods for downstream areas, providing water for agricultural production, and domestic water for local people.

Trung Son Hydropower Plant, located in Trung Son Commune, Thanh Hoa Province, has a capacity of 260 MW, including 4 units with a capacity of about 950 million kWh/year. This project is built on the Ma River. Before this year's rainy season, Trung Son Hydropower Plant has implemented a natural disaster prevention plan to ensure safe operation for the project and the downstream area. At the same time, check the safety of dams, reservoirs, operating equipment, flood discharge warnings, install warning systems for power generation operations and flood discharge operations in accordance with the local situation.

According to Mr. Pham Van Cuong, Deputy Director of Trung Son Hydropower One Member Co., Ltd., to ensure good operation before the 2025 flood season, Trung Son Hydropower One Member Co., Ltd. has implemented solutions such as maintaining the generator, ensuring the operation of the reservoir, effectively exploiting the water level at the reservoir and complying with the operation of the Ma River inter-reservoir, maintaining downstream warning systems... The unit is committed to safe operation before, during and after the 2025 flood season, thereby ensuring safety for the area along the Ma River, the plant annually contributes 150 billion VND to the state budget.

Mr. Ngo Sy Tam, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Trung Son Commune Party Committee, said that in recent times, the commune has regularly monitored hydropower projects to comply with regulations, flood season operating water levels and pre-flood water levels, and regularly monitored reservoir operation principles during the flood season to ensure safe operations at hydropower projects. Before implementing the flood discharge process, the hydropower plant informed local authorities and people to have timely prevention plans, as well as carry out flood cutting to contribute to natural disaster prevention in the commune and the whole province. In addition to supplying electricity, Trung Son Hydropower Plant also focuses on social security, creating conditions for people to raise fish in cages in the hydropower reservoir area.

Located in Cam Thach commune, Cam Thuy 1 Hydropower Plant was built and put into use in December 2018, with an installed capacity of 28.8 MW, contributing to the supply of electricity to the national grid system and flood regulation, water supply for downstream areas. To ensure operational safety, Cam Thuy 1 Hydropower Plant has implemented many plans to proactively operate the project safely, ready to prevent natural disasters. In 2025, the plant has developed a plan for natural disaster prevention, control and search and rescue associated with extreme weather scenarios. Every year, the plant conducts monitoring to measure the subsidence, seepage and displacement of the project; maintains the spillway valve lifting and lowering system according to procedures and regulations; periodically checks landmarks, water level posts, signs, and clears bushes around the reservoir dike.

Currently, the factory is coordinating with communes in the reservoir area to strictly inspect and manage, not allowing people and boats to enter the reservoir area during storms. Absolutely ensure the safety of people and vehicles when performing tasks; conduct flood discharge when necessary; when operating flood discharge regulation, comply with regulations to ensure the safety of people and property of local people.

Mr. Le Dinh Hung, an officer of Cam Thuy 1 Hydropower Plant, Cam Thach Commune, said that the plant has coordinated with upstream reservoir units to operate the reservoir properly, while monitoring weather forecasts and informing the people and authorities about the flood situation, reducing the impact of floods and discharges. During the shift, parameters are checked and analyzed regularly to quickly detect changes and abnormalities in order to find the fastest and most effective solutions.

Not only the factories are in operation, the Ten Tan Hydropower project is also under construction in the border commune of Muong Lat. This project includes a 12MW power plant, and aims to provide irrigation and domestic water in the area. It is expected that in 2027, the project will be completed and put into use.

Mr. Dang Huu Thang, Deputy Director of the Hydropower Project Management Board - Muong Lat Joint Stock Company, said that the project will create jobs for local workers, renovate and upgrade the irrigation system to be better than the old one. At the same time, contributing about 12 billion VND to the local budget every year, the unit is currently speeding up the progress to soon complete the project and put it into operation.

According to the Department of Industry and Trade of Thanh Hoa province, to ensure the safe operation of hydropower projects, the Department has requested hydropower plants to strictly implement the contents as prescribed in Decree No. 114/2018/ND-CP dated September 4, 20218 of the Government on the management of dam and reservoir safety and Directive No. 05/CT-UBND dated March 8, 2022 of the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa province on strengthening the management and safety of dams and hydropower reservoirs in the area... As well as, requesting hydropower plants to ensure the operation of dams and hydropower reservoirs according to the operating regulations approved by competent authorities and the reservoir operation process on the Ma River basin approved by the Prime Minister ; regularly monitor the operation and emergency response plans, ensuring the safety of dams and downstream areas of hydropower reservoirs.

In addition, the Department of Industry and Trade regularly establishes inspection teams, urges and directs hydroelectric dam owners to fully implement the contents according to regulations, directs hydroelectric plants to always coordinate with authorities in the affected areas of the project, provide information on flood regulation, and warn of flood discharge to avoid damage.

At the same time, install a monitoring system, monitor and provide data to authorities according to regulations, provide safety warning information for downstream areas when releasing floodwaters, warn of dangerous areas to ensure timely warnings for authorities and people in affected areas when releasing floodwaters urgently, proactively respond to extreme weather and when reservoirs are full of water.

In addition, the Department of Industry and Trade of Thanh Hoa province has also directed the units managing and operating hydroelectric dams in the area to fully implement the contents on dam and hydroelectric reservoir safety in accordance with regulations; organize forces, develop plans to coordinate with the authorities and downstream areas, and related units in responding to natural disasters. Currently, hydroelectric projects are operating effectively, ensuring inter-reservoir safety, promptly responding to unexpected situations and ensuring the safety of people in the affected areas.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/kinh-te/thanh-hoa-siet-chat-quy-trinh-van-hanh-lien-ho-chua-20251111171740223.htm