Vietnam Electricity (EVN) has asked hydropower plants to coordinate with local authorities and state agencies and begin preparing measures in November for the negative effects of El Nino.
Hydropower plants must work closely with the National Power System and Market Operation Company (NSMO), use water resources efficiently and fill reservoirs to their normal water levels by the end of the year.
Thermal power plants must maintain available capacity in the final months of the year and be ready to operate when requested by NSMO, helping hydropower reservoirs store water.
They were also told to urgently sign coal supply contracts for power generation in 2027, strengthen inspections of equipment and production lines, and prevent failures or capacity reductions caused by operational issues.
Power companies and corporations were asked to prepare El Nino response plans, work with major electricity users on shifting and adjusting demand, and prepare for extreme situations and shortages of peak capacity during high-demand hours.
Together with NSMO, they will manage and forecast electricity demand and assess the effects of distributed power sources, especially rooftop solar systems for self-generation and self-consumption, as well as the growth of electric vehicles. The plans also include saving energy, shifting demand, regulating loads and mobilizing customer diesel generators when needed.
EVN will work with provincial and municipal People’s Committees, government offices and local authorities on electricity-saving programs and rooftop solar development under Prime Minister’s Directive No. 10/CT-TTg, dated March 30, 2026.
Da Nang hydropower plants face water shortages
Thanh Niên reported that, although it is the rainy season in central Vietnam, several reservoirs in Da Nang, including Đăk Mi 3, Đăk Mi 4, A Vương and Sông Bung 4, are facing serious water shortages.
Water levels at many reservoirs are tens of meters below their normal levels, making power generation difficult.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment recently asked the Da Nang People’s Committee to take measures against the risk of water shortages in 2027 in the Vu Gia and Thu Bon river basins, which it linked to El Nino.
From June to mid-October, flows in most rivers and streams in the Vu Gia and Thu Bon basins were 10% to 33% below the long-term average. This could affect many hydropower plants.
The ministry asked the A Vương, Sông Bung 4, Đăk Mi 4A, Sông Tranh 2, Sông Bung 2, Sông Côn 2 bậc 1 and Khe Diên hydropower plants to prepare flexible operating plans and prioritize water supplies for domestic use and production downstream.
Da Nang authorities must review water demand and use in the lower Vu Gia and Thu Bon rivers in line with power plant operations to avoid wasting stored water.
EVN issued the instruction as Vietnam faces a strong Super El Nino that, according to the article, is expected to continue into early 2027. The government and prime minister said in Resolutions No. 168/NQ-CP and 169/NQ-CP that EVN must ensure electricity supplies in all circumstances to support economic growth this year.
In October, total electricity generation and imports across the EVN system reached 31.58 billion kWh, up 14.3% from the same month last year. The 10-month total reached 297.4 billion kWh, up 9.8% from the same period in 2025.
Updated NSMO calculations estimate that total generation and imports in November 2026 will reach 28.9 billion kWh, up 14.4% from a year earlier.
Sources: Thanh Niên
