Prolonged heat, water level of Ban Ve hydroelectric lake drops

Ban Ve Hydropower Company is the unit that manages and operates Ban Ve Hydropower Plant, built on the Nam Non River in Yen Na Commune, Tuong Duong District. It is the largest hydropower plant in the North Central region with a reservoir capacity of 1.83 billion m³In addition to the task of generating electricity, the plant also has the task of supplying water for production and daily life in the downstream area.

An operating shift at Ban Ve Hydropower Plant. Photo: TDBV

Since the beginning of the 2023 dry season, Ban Ve Hydropower Company has proactively worked with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Irrigation Department of Nghe An province to agree on a plan to regulate water supply downstream in the spirit of ensuring harmony between the two goals of water supply and power generation. The Company has also coordinated with the National Power System Dispatch Center to exploit generators to ensure downstream water supply flow as committed and effectively use water resources through generators.

Specifically, from the beginning of 2023 until now, Ban Ve Hydropower Company has released water 3 times to provide water for production and daily life in the downstream area. In particular, the end of April, when the 2023 spring rice crop enters the flowering period, is one of the peak water use periods.

Mr. Nguyen Truong Thanh - Head of the Irrigation Sub-Department of Nghe An province said: That was the time when the water level of Lam River was low, the pumping stations could not operate, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development issued a document on the operation and regulation of water at Ban Ve Hydropower Reservoir. Accordingly, from April 22 to 26, 2023, every day, Ban Ve Hydropower Reservoir increased the discharge flow from 65 m3/s to 200 m3/s of flow to the reservoir. From April 27 to 30, 2023, Ban Ve Hydropower Reservoir operated and regulated water with an average total discharge flow of not less than 65 m3/s to raise the water level of Lam River, ensuring that the pumping stations could pump water into the fields and so far have ensured timely water supply to the downstream, helping people feel secure in production.

Currently, the water level at Ban Ve hydroelectric reservoir is lower than the average of many previous years. Photo: TDBV

According to the forecast of the North Central Hydrometeorological Station, in the coming time, with extreme weather and no rain, the water level of Lam River tends to decrease; this may lead to the water flow to Ban Ve Hydropower Reservoir in the coming time to continue to decrease. As of 6:00 a.m. on May 17, 2023, Ban Ve Hydropower Reservoir only reached 166m, 11m from the dead water level, corresponding to the remaining useful capacity of 250 million m3. This means that the company is facing many difficulties in operating downstream water supply and power generation in the coming time.

According to Mr. Ta Huu Hung - Director of Ban Ve Hydropower Company: With that reality, in addition to the task of generating electricity, to ensure water sources for downstream production, Ban Ve Hydropower Company will actively coordinate with local authorities, promptly operate and regulate reservoir water so that people can feel secure in production, and at the same time work with the National Power System Control Center to come up with a reasonable water usage plan.