Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant Opens Spillway for Flood Control

Amidst persistent heavy rainfall in northern Vietnam, the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant has initiated water discharge through a spillway for flood control purposes, marking the first such operation in 2026. This decision, mandated by a directive from the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on the afternoon of July 10, commenced at 11 AM on July 11, with one spillway gate opened to regulate water levels, ensure the safety of the dam, and proactively manage incoming floodwaters. As of 1 PM today, the water level in the reservoir stood at 104 meters upstream and 12.1 meters downstream. The inflow into the reservoir was recorded at 4,377 cubic meters per second, while the total discharge downstream was 2,840 cubic meters per second. The decision to open the spillway comes in the context of prolonged heavy rains across the Da River and Red River basins, influenced by a trough of low pressure. From the evening of July 8 to the evening of July 9, meteorological agencies reported widespread rainfall of 70-100 mm in the northern mountainous regions, with many areas exceeding 200 mm, including My Bang (Tuyen Quang) at 211 mm, Thac Ba Hydropower (Lao Cai) at 208 mm, and Phuc Luong (Thai Nguyen) at 208 mm. Cumulatively, from the evening of July 6 to the morning of July 10, rainfall in many northern mountainous areas surpassed 300-400 mm, with Quang Lam (Quang Ninh) recording the highest at 420 mm. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting predicts that northern Vietnam and Thanh Hoa province will continue to experience rainfall of 20-40 mm on the night of July 10, with localized areas possibly exceeding 100 mm. The Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant has a capacity of 1,920 MW with eight turbines. The largest flood discharge event occurred in October 2017, when the plant had to open 8 out of 12 spillway gates. While this did not impact critical sections of the dike system, it resulted in the death of 170 tons of fish from floating cages, causing losses exceeding 30 billion VND. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has urged the People's Committees of downstream provinces and cities to promptly inform residents, businesses, aquaculture facilities, watercraft, ferry terminals, riverside structures, and sand and gravel extraction units to take proactive safety measures. During water discharge, water levels and flow velocities on the Da River and the lower Red River are expected to rise rapidly, posing potential safety risks to people and vessels operating on the rivers. Recent floods and landslides have caused four houses to collapse, damaged 141 houses, necessitated the emergency evacuation of 45 houses due to landslide risks, and affected 36 houses through inundation or landslides. Over 243 hectares of rice and other crops have been submerged or damaged, and 24 livestock and 350 poultry have died or been washed away, according to the Directorate of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention. Furthermore, floods and landslides have blocked 17 locations on National Highways 6, 4H, 12, and 32, and 75 locations on provincial roads, disrupting traffic in many mountainous areas. Additionally, 137 meters of irrigation canals have been damaged.