Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong has confirmed that managers at Ho Ho Hydropower Plant exacerbated serious flooding in Ha Tinh Province after failing to follow regulations on water discharge.
The dam of Ho Ho Hydropower Plant
Local people have complained that water discharged from the plant during heavy rains on October 14 exacerbated the flooding that has submerged thousands of houses in the area.
Chairman of Ha Tinh Province Dang Quoc Khanh also confirmed the following day that water released from hydropower dams had caused water levels to rise uncontrollably. Chairman of Huong Khe District Le Ngoc Huan said they hadn't received any notification about the discharge plan.
Director of Ho Ho Hydropower Plant Vu Manh Hung said that between October 13 and the morning of October 15, his company had informed authorities of Huong Khe District of the water discharge due to the dam's high water level.
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong said, "It's clear that the discharge process wasn't carried out properly and caused floodwaters to quickly rise."
He went on to say authorities need to work more closely and have better plans to deal with floods.
The safety inspection before the flood season had failed to meet requirements. For example, the route leads to the dam needed to be better maintained in case of emergency. The locations of electric generators were not appropriate.
He also said the plant managers failed to follow regulations on reservoir operations as they must report to the authorities affected by water discharges. Despite numerous directives and training, the co-operation between the plant and local authorities was not good enough.
Vuong suggested equipping more warning system to the communes and asked the General Directorate of Energy to research and revise the regulations on reservoir operations to ensure downstream safety and benefits from hydropower plants.
The prime minister has ordered compensation to be paid to the people affected by the discharge.