Vietnam Power Development Joint Stock Company:Khe Bo Hydropower Plant operation ensures water supply for downstream during hot season

Khe Bo Hydropower Plant started construction in 2007 on the Ca River in Tam Quang Commune, Tuong Duong District, and was officially completed and put into operation in 2013. With a capacity of 100 MW, 2 turbines, and an annual electricity output of 442.8 million kWh, this is the 3rd largest Hydropower Plant in Nghe An.

In addition to the task of producing electricity to contribute to ensuring electricity security for the national power system, Khe Bo Hydropower Plant also has the function of regulating the flow on the Ca River to supply water for production and push back salinity for the downstream area.

In particular, according to the report of Nghe An Irrigation Department, this is the peak period for water supply for summer-autumn rice and winter-spring rice cultivation, however, the weather in the province is unfavorable, with severe heat, some areas have suffered from drought and are at risk of drought. Pumping stations in Anh Son, Do Luong, Thanh Chuong, Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen districts... take water directly from the Ca River and pumping stations take water from the Southern irrigation system and the Northern irrigation system are operating at maximum capacity to provide irrigation water for agricultural production.

According to the forecast of the North Central Hydrometeorological Station, during the dry months of 2024, the total rainfall tends to be 15-30% lower than the average total rainfall at the same time last year. This makes the flow on Nghe An rivers likely to be 10-40% lower than the same period last year.

Faced with that situation, on February 23, 2024, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghe An organized a meeting between the National Power System Control Center, Ban Ve Hydropower Company, Vietnam Electricity Development Joint Stock Company, Chi Khe Hydropower Joint Stock Company, and the People's Committees of Thanh Chuong, Do Luong, Hung Nguyen districts and related departments and units to agree on a plan to regulate water in hydropower reservoirs.

Regarding reservoir water regulation, Mr. Ngo Quoc Huy - General Director of Vietnam Electricity Development Joint Stock Company, the owner of Khe Bo Hydropower Plant, said: Entering the hot season this year, based on the directives of EVN, Power Generation Corporation 1, the Company has established an operation plan, coordinated with the upper-level hydropower plants and local authorities to supply water to the downstream effectively and economically. From the end of 2023, the Company has also sent a document to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment as well as the People's Committee of Nghe An province on the implementation of a plan to supply water downstream during the period when the flow to the reservoir is less than 94m³/S.

The company also directed Khe Bo Hydropower Plant to coordinate with Ban Ve Hydropower Plant to work with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghe An province to unify the regulation of reservoir water to ensure efficiency, savings, and suitability to the actual situation.

In addition, the company has also directed Khe Bo Hydropower Plant to develop a response scenario to adverse weather and natural disasters. Focus on promoting technical innovation initiatives, administrative reform ideas and applying information technology in management and operations. Continue to implement the digital transformation plan according to the roadmap.

Mr. Huy also emphasized that to ensure safe operation and effective power supply in the dry season of 2024, the unit has also developed a project for hydropower plants in the period of 2024-2030. From the beginning of the year, the Company has also reviewed and resolved incidents, prepared conditions to ensure effective power supply in 2024, and implemented solutions to minimize incidents at power plants in 2024 and the following years.

The unit has also stepped up coordination, developed plans to repair and upgrade the quality of equipment systems, quickly resolved incidents or risks of equipment failure, ensuring the two units operate safely, continuously and effectively.