Hydroelectric power plant operation water storage

The water level of Binh Dien hydroelectric reservoir is low.

The Provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue (PCTT&TKCN) said that due to the influence of the tropical depression and storm, there will be heavy rain and very heavy rain on the mainland of the province from the morning of September 19 to September 21. The total rainfall for the entire period is commonly 200-300mm, with some places over 500mm.

Currently, hydroelectric reservoirs are at low water levels, accumulating water for operation. Specifically, at Binh Dien hydroelectric reservoir (Binh Dien commune, Huong Tra town), the current water level is 64.5m above the dead water level of 11.5m. The reservoir is accumulating water, operating 2 turbines with a flow rate of 64m3/s. On the morning of September 19, it only operated for 2 hours and then stopped.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Hai, General Director of Binh Dien Hydropower Joint Stock Company, said: To proactively respond to storm No. 4 as well as natural disasters in the coming time, the unit has organized inspections of project items before the rainy season such as landslide-prone areas, hydraulic mechanical systems, sluice gates, and drainage slots. At the same time, it has fully prepared supplies, materials, equipment, and arranged on-duty personnel to respond when situations arise.

It is known that Binh Dien Hydropower Plant is built on Huu Trach River upstream of Huong River. The plant has a capacity of 44 MW, average annual electricity output of 181 million kw/h, generating electricity to the national grid in May 2009.

At Huong Dien Hydropower Plant on the Bo River, on the morning of September 19, the lake water level was 49.04m, 3.04m higher than the dead water level and nearly 9m lower than the normal rising water level. The lake is running out of water, so the plant is storing water for operation during this rainy season. Huong Dien Hydropower Joint Stock Company has fully prepared supplies, materials, equipment and arranged 100% of its personnel to be on duty to meet the requirements of responding to natural disasters in all situations.

In the province, there are a total of 13 hydropower plants put into operation with a total capacity of 459.3 MW. The electricity output in 2023 is 1,920.418 million kWh, reaching 87.6%. The electricity output in the first 6 months of 2024 is 498.777 million kWh, reaching 64.1% compared to the electricity output in the same period of 2023.

Electricity production in the first 6 months of 2024 is lower than the same period in 2023 because the amount of water flowing into hydroelectric reservoirs in the first months of 2024 is lower than in the first months of 2023. At the same time, hydroelectric reservoirs retain water in the lakes to serve production and daily life downstream during the dry months of 2024 and comply with the water level in the lakes at each time specified in the inter-reservoir operation process on the Huong River basin approved by the Prime Minister .

Previously, the Department of Industry and Trade coordinated with the Provincial Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Control and related departments and localities to inspect the management and operation, electrical safety, dam and reservoir safety management and disaster response at 13 hydropower plants operating in the area.