Vietnam Hydropower Producers Under Pressure of Water Discharge amid El Nino

Hydropower plants in Vietnam are under pressure of discharging water for cultivation in the lowland as they were asked by local authorities but they were told to ensure smooth operations throughout the year amid record decades-low water levels at almost all reservoirs. Hydropower producers nationwide, especially those located in the Central Highlands and central region, are struggling to generate power while they have to discharge water for irrigation following prolonged droughts. In the first quarter this year, members of state utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN), the country’s sole power distributor, discharged total 3.03 billion cubic meters (cu.m) of water to farming in the north. Despite poor performances of hydroelectricity plants, demand for power remained high during the three-month period. Between January and March, EVN produced and bought total 39.13 billion kWh of electricity, including 9.54 billion kWh of hydropower, the lowest ratio for quarters. Prolonged droughts have forced a number of hydropower in the central and southern regions stop connecting with the national grid to focus on discharging water for cultivation purposes. EVN’s Deputy General Director Ngo Son Hai said last month that only 38 out of 81 hydropower plants with capacity of at least 30 megawatts (MW) each in Vietnam were able to generate power due to negative impacts caused by El Nino. (Nong Thon Nay Nay – Nowadays Countryside April 11)