Southern largest hydropower reservoir's water drops to lowest level in 12 years
The water level of Tri An hydropower reservoir, the largest of its kind in the southern region, has dropped to “dead level” due to a prolonged dry season and El Niño phenomena.
The water level in Tri An hydropower reservoir, the largest of its kind in the southern region, drops to “dead level” (Photo: cand.com.vn)
Dong Nai (VNA) 𒐪– The water level of Tri An hydropower reservoir, the largest of its kind in the southern region, has dropped to “deadlevel” due to a prolonged dry season and El Niño phenomena.
Vo Tan Nhan, Director of the Try An Hydropower Company,said that the reservoir’s water level has decreased deeply, approaching the dead levelof 50 metres. Specifically, the water level measured on May 7 wasonly 50.5 metres. It’s the lowest water level measured in more than 12 years. According to Nhan, the water volume was low due to the prolonged dry season, but thanks to the inter-reservoir operation mechanism,the plant has been still operating all four turbines. He noted that in normal conditions, the hydropowerplant has an output of 9.6 million kWh. However, the plant currently onlyproduces about 2 million kWh, only about 20% of its peak capacity. Previously, in September 2010, the water levelof the Tri An reservoir dropped to 49.99m, lower than the dead water level, forcing theplant to alternately operate its turbines. The water level is expected to increase by the end ofMay when the rainy season comes. The Tri An hydropower plant was built on Dong Nairiver which flows through Vinh Cuu district, Dong Nai province, 65 km northeast ofHo Chi Minh City. The plant was built with the financial andtechnological support of the Soviet Union since 1984, and inaugurated in 1991. It has four turbines with a total designed capacity of400 MW and annual electricity output of 1.76 billion kWh. Besides contributing tothe national grid, the project has also helped to reduce salinity and regulate floodsfor downstream areas and provides water for daily life and production formillions of people in Dong Nai and Binh Duong provinces and Ho Chi Minh City./.
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The water level in Tri An hydropower reservoir, the largest of its kind in the southern region, drops to “dead level” (Photo: cand.com.vn) 
