Ban Ve Hydropower Plant releases water to help fight drought for spring rice crop

Currently, the 2023 Spring rice crop is entering the flowering period, which is one of the peak water use periods. However, through an inspection of the actual situation on April 20, the water level of the Lam River was low, pumping stations were not operating, so in Thanh Chuong and Do Luong districts, there were over 1,000 hectares of rice fields lacking water. If there is still no water in the coming days, the risk of rice yield and output reduction is very high.

The water level of Lam River is low, pumping stations are not working, so in Thanh Chuong and Do Luong districts, over 1,000 hectares of rice fields are lacking water. Photo: PV

Faced with that reality, after the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Document No. 1385/SNN-TL dated April 21, 2023 on the operation and regulation of water at the hydroelectric reservoirs: Ban Ve, Khe Bo, Chi Khe, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 3060/UBND-NN to relevant units, agreeing on the plan for the operation and regulation of water at the hydroelectric reservoirs Ban Ve, Khe Bo, Chi Khe as proposed by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Accordingly, from April 22 to April 26, 2023, Ban Ve Hydropower Reservoir will increase the discharge flow from 65m³/s up to 200m³/S.

The following period from April 27 to April 30, 2023, the hydroelectric reservoirs: Ban Ve, Khe Bo, Chi Khe operate to regulate water and other contents remain the same as Official Dispatch No. 2641/UBND-NN dated April 11, 2023 of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee.

From April 22, Ban Ve Lake operates to ensure the total average discharge flow is not less than 200 m3/s. Photo: PV

Previously, from February 2 to 6, the Company adjusted the operating mode of Ban Ve hydropower reservoir to increase the discharge level from 80 m³/s up to 150 m³/s; from March 17-23, Ban Ve Hydropower Reservoir also adjusted the water discharge level downstream from 50 m³/s up to 160 m³/s, to raise the water level of Lam River, ensure pumping stations can pump water into fields, provide timely water to downstream areas, serve drought prevention and production for the 2023 Spring crop.

Thus, according to the above water regulation and operation plan, by the end of April 26, the water level of Ban Ve hydropower reservoir will be only about 170m, about 13m lower than the minimum water level. This means that the Company is facing many difficulties in operating downstream water supply and power generation in the coming time.

Lam River water level has been raised thanks to the adjustment of increasing the reservoir discharge level. Photo: PV

According to Mr. Hoang Van Ngoc - Deputy Director of Ban Ve Hydropower Company: According to the forecast of the North Central Hydrometeorological Station, in the coming time with extreme weather, no rain, the water level of Lam River tends to decrease. While the water level of the reservoir is very low, the flow to the lake is about 25 to 30m³/s and is forecast to decrease in the coming time, causing difficulties in supplying irrigation water to the downstream and generating electricity during the dry season this year. However, with the goal of ensuring water sources for pumping stations along Lam River to operate (especially pumping stations in Do Luong and Thanh Chuong districts), Ban Ve Hydropower Company will actively coordinate with local authorities to promptly operate and regulate reservoir water so that people can feel secure in production, ensuring efficiency and savings.