Vietnam: Power and agriculture sectors braced for water shortages

Electricity of Viet Nam and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have agreed to regulate water held in hydropower reservoirs and water for agricultural production activities. Due to the low water volume flowing into hydropower reservoirs, power generation has decreased. Total hydropower production is estimated to be 55.3 billion kWh for 2015, about 4.5 billion kWh less than the previous year. In 2015, water levels in some reservoirs in central regions, the Central Highlands and southern regions were lower than normal due to low rainfall. About 4.86 billion cubic metres will be needed for agricultural activities during the 2015-2016 winter-spring rice crop.