Dak Drinh Hydropower Plant faces water shortage in Quang Ngai

The Dak Drinh hydropower reservoir in Quang Ngai province is experiencing an unusual water shortage despite being in the rainy season. Large areas of the reservoir floor have become exposed, and connecting rivers and streams have significantly diminished or dried up entirely.

Due to the low water inflow, which has dropped to approximately 20m3/s, the Dak Drinh Hydropower Joint Stock Company suspended power generation on November 1 to prioritize water storage. The current water level is at 379m, leaving only about 4m of reserve above the dead water level of 375m.

Operators attribute the decline in water levels to the El Nino phenomenon, which has reduced rainfall in the upstream areas. The facility has a design capacity of 125MW and a total capacity of approximately 248 to 249.3 million m3.