The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has just issued a telegram on closing the bottom spillway of Hoa Binh hydroelectric reservoir. The dispatch clearly stated that at 1:00 p.m. on September 30, 2025, the upstream water level of Hoa Binh Lake was at 115.47 m, the downstream water level was 14.03 m, the flow to the lake was 3,728 m3/s, the total downstream flow was 5,988 m3/s.
Implementing the Inter-reservoir operation process in the Red River basin in Decision No. 740/QD-TTg dated June 17, 2019 of the Prime Minister, Decision No. 922/QD-TTg dated May 14, 2025 of the Prime Minister amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Inter-reservoir operation process in the Red River basin, the Minister of Agriculture and Environment ordered the Director of Hoa Binh Hydropower Company to close 1 bottom spillway gate of Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant at 5:00 p.m. on September 30, 2025.
Closely monitor the developments of floods, construction safety, flow to the reservoir, water levels upstream and downstream of the reservoir and promptly report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (through the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control) and relevant agencies according to regulations.
Ensuring safety downstream when operating Hoa Binh hydroelectric reservoir, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment requests the People's Committees of Phu Tho, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hai Phong, Hung Yen, and Ninh Binh provinces and cities to notify authorities at all levels, people, and organizations operating on rivers and along rivers to know information to proactively take measures to ensure safety and adjust operations accordingly. Timely report any unusual situations to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (through the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control).
On the same day, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment issued a document on the operation of Tuyen Quang hydroelectric reservoir to ensure the safety of the project and downstream. The document sent to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, People's Committees of Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho, Hanoi provinces and cities and the Director of Tuyen Quang Hydropower Company stated that due to the impact of storm No. 10, there was heavy rain in the Tuyen Quang Lake basin, the flow to the lake at 1:00 p.m. on September 30, 2025 was 5,550 m3/s, the upstream water level was 120.24 m, 0.24 m higher than the normal water level and the development of rain and floods was still complicated.
To ensure the safety of the project and the downstream area of Tuyen Quang hydroelectric reservoir in the face of complicated developments of floods, the National Civil Defense Steering Committee recommends that the Ministry of Industry and Trade direct functional units to closely coordinate with the locality, guide and supervise the owners of Tuyen Quang hydroelectric reservoir in operations to ensure compliance with procedures and related regulations.
The People's Committees of Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho and Hanoi provinces and cities directed departments, branches and localities to coordinate with the Lake owners to immediately deploy measures to inspect and closely monitor the operation of reservoirs and deploy plans to ensure safety downstream; Proactively inform and promptly warn local authorities and people in downstream areas to proactively respond; Prepare forces, means and materials to be ready to handle unusual situations, ensuring absolute safety for works, lives and property of people in downstream areas.
The Director of Tuyen Quang Hydropower Company is responsible for operating according to the process, ensuring the safety of the project and taking full responsibility if an incident occurs that causes insecurity or causes damage to people and property in the downstream area.
