In spite of dead water level, A Vuong Hydropower Plant still supplies water to downstream area with an equivalent volume to the intake water flow - Photo: Le Viet
Song Bung Hydropower Company is the operation management unit of Song Bung 4 Hydropower Plant - located in the hydropower ladder of Vu Gia - Thu Bon River system, in Tapoo and ZuoiH Communes, Nam Giang District, Quang Nam Province. The water inflow which is lower than the average level of many recent years seriously affected the production activities of the unit.
Up to now, the Company has generated 294 million kWh, equivalent to 60% of the year’s plan - Mr. Le Dinh Ban, Director of the Company said: Over the past 2 months, the Plant almost did not work due to the lack of intake water.
Song Bung 4 reservoir is currently at the dead water level of 205m. The Plant is operated in the mode that the amount of intake water will be used for power generation to ensure water supply for the downstream area.
A Vuong Hydropower Plant which is under the management by A Vuong Hydropower Joint Stock Company is in the same condition. Its reservoir is also at the dead water level (340m).
Up to 9 a.m on 14 September 2018, the water flow to the reservoir was 24m3/s. The Plant still discharged water to downstream through power generation corresponding to the water inflow.
Currently, all updated parameters about the operation of A Vuong and Song Bung 4 reservoirs are reported to leaders of Quang Nam Province and the Committee for Flood and Storm Control & Search and Rescue of Quang Nam Province.
Previously, the Department of Water Resources Management (MONRE) issued Official Letter No. 2037/TNN-NM dated 12 September 2018, sent to the companies managing and operating reservoirs of A Vuong, Dak Mi 4, Song Bung 4, Song Tranh 2 and Da Nang Water Supply Joint Stock Company on regulating and supplying water for downstream area of Vu Gia River. In particular, A Vuong and Song Tranh 2 reservoirs are requested to operate and regulate the reservoirs with a discharge amount equivalent to the inflow to these reservoirs; Song Bung 4 reservoir operates and regulates the reservoir with a greater discharge than the inflow to the reservoir; Dak Mi 4 reservoir does it through the dam to the downstream area of the Vu Gia River with a flow of 12.5m3/s.
As requested in this Official Letter, in case of necessity, the companies have to use a part of the reservoirs’ dead volume to regulate water supply for the downstream area, reducing the salinity intrusion in the case of rain or flood absence in basins.