Vietnam is faced with occasional power shortages during the next two or three months – and the situation is not forecast to improve in the new year.
Statistics from State-run Electricity of Vietnam Group (EVN) show that in the first nine months of the year, total water in national reservoirs was 33.3 billion cubic metres less than at the same period last year.
This is sufficient to cause hydro-power shortages of up to 6 billion kWh.
Total electricity production from all sources last month amounted to just over 8.6 billion kWh, up 15 per cent on the same period last year.
Reduced water levels have left power authorities perplexed at the possibility of power shortages and cut-offs in the near future as well as shortages next year.
To deal with the issue, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has asked the EVN to regulate power supplies for production and consumption and to try and limit cutting supplies.
He said the sector should mobilise oil-fired and coal-fired power plants, bring newly-built plants into operation and promote the saving of power among the population.
Deputy general director of the EVN Dang Hoang An said hydro power normally produced more than 59 per cent of total needs.
He said while the sector might be able to meet demand for 25 billion kWh in the last three months of this year, an additional problem was the temporary closure of Ca Mau Gas Factory PA3 pipelines for maintenance.
Ta Van Luan, director of Yaly Hydropower Plant, said water levels at Pleikrong Reservoir were about 537m, compared to 570m for the same period last year.
He said he did not expect the situation to improve in the near future and that the plant had been operating only five hours a day, lower than full capacity.
A similar situation is being experienced at the largest Yaly Hydropower Plant, which has a water level of 490m, 25m lower than average level last year.
Luan said water flow into Yaly reservoir was 160cu.m a second, but its four turbines needed 420cu.m a second to reach full capacity.
He said in the first nine months of the year, the plant had run at half of its capacity because of the low water levels.
And that some water would be saved for next year. The plant is expected to supply 4 billion kWh this year, compared to its expected production of 5.5 billion kWh.
Reservoirs in the Central Highlands and the south are facing drought.
Le Van Quang, deputy director of Da Nhim-Ham Thuan-Da Mi Hydropower Company said the water level at Ham Thuan was only 39cm above the lowest level and supplied water for electricity for only eight hours a day.
He said the 400MW Tri An Hydropower Plant had received 4.1 billion cu.m, 2 million cu.m lower than at the same period last year. Its water level was less than a metre above the lowest level.
Director of Tri An Hydropower Plant Nguyen Kim Phuc said low water levels had reduced expected electricity production this year to 1-1.2 billion kWh, the lowest level in 23 years of operation.
