Quang Ngai hydropower plant suspends generation as water supplies fall

Dakdrinh Hydropower JSC has stopped generating electricity at its plant in Vietnam's Quang Ngai Province after reservoir inflows fell sharply amid El Nino. The company said conserving water would take priority to support downstream communities, agriculture and businesses in the Dung Quat Economic Zone.

Nguyen Duy Nghia, who heads the company's technical department, said recent inflows averaged about 20 cubic meters per second, substantially below historical levels. He said rainy-season inflows and storage had not been this low since operations began in May 2014.

The reservoir's reported level of 377 meters was close to its dead-water threshold of 375 meters, compared with a normal operating level of 410 meters. Provincial authorities have restricted generation through November. With inflows forecast at 45 to 60 cubic meters per second for the month, a full shutdown is expected to lift the level above 400 meters by month-end.

Water conservation measures are also being pursued elsewhere. Authorities in Da Nang have urged hydropower operators to retain water until the end of 2026, citing possible drought, shortages and saltwater intrusion during the 2027 dry season. In Lam Dong, authorities have been asked to assess irrigation requirements and identify crops vulnerable to shortages.

At a mid-September briefing, Vietnam's Department of Water Resources Management warned that El Nino could leave more than 700 hydropower reservoirs short of their designed storage levels. Deputy department head Nguyen Manh Ha put the potential combined shortfall at between 7.73 billion and 11 billion cubic meters.

Meteorological agencies expect El Nino to remain extremely strong into early 2027. November rainfall in central Vietnam is forecast to fall 20-40 per cent below the long-term average.