The Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant, located on the Da River, was constructed with significant assistance from the Soviet Union and began operations in 1994.
This hydropower plant, with a capacity of 2,400 MW, was the largest in Southeast Asia in the 20th century. In addition to being a major electricity supplier to the national grid, the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant is also responsible for flood control in Hanoi and the downstream area, ensuring sufficient water supply for agriculture and daily life in the Red River Delta.
After nearly 30 years of operation, by the end of 2020, the plant had generated over 250 billion kWh of electricity, contributing more than VND 1,000 billion to the provincial budget annually.
To increase peak power capacity and maximize the utilization of annual excess water discharge during the flood season, the expansion of the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant was initiated in early 2021 with a total investment of over VND 9,200 billion by the Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN).
The expansion project is located on the right bank of the existing Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant dam. The plant is situated in Phuong Lam Ward, with the water intake and inlet channel in Thai Binh Ward, Hoa Binh City, Hoa Binh Province.
With a total installed capacity of 480 MW, comprising two units, each with a capacity of 240 MW, the expansion project is expected to generate an average annual output of approximately 488.3 million kWh. This amount of electricity is sufficient to power the entire country for half a day during peak demand (in 2024, the country’s peak electricity consumption reached 1.025 billion kWh).
With the addition of two new units totaling 480 MW, the total capacity of the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant will increase to 2,400 MW, matching the capacity of the Son La Hydropower Plant, which is currently the largest hydropower plant in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, also located on the Da River.
Furthermore, upon completion, the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant (2,400 MW), along with two other plants on the Da River, namely the Son La (2,400 MW) and Lai Chau (1,200 MW) plants, will have a combined capacity of 6,000 MW. This will be the largest cluster of hydropower plants on a single river in Southeast Asia, contributing 30% of the country’s electricity production.
Regarding project progress, a large number of workers and machinery are present on the construction site to accelerate the work. As of the end of the second quarter of this year, several milestones have been achieved and exceeded: Concrete work for the water intake structure reached 135% of the plan; excavation and arch reinforcement for Tunnel No. 1 reached 133% of the plan; excavation and arch reinforcement, as well as the foundation of Tunnel No. 2, reached 100% of the plan, and so on.
It is expected that the first unit of the expanded Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant will be operational by June 2025, followed by the second unit in July 2025.
Upon completion, the project will not only enhance peak power capacity and maximize the utilization of annual excess water discharge but also improve frequency regulation and stability of the national power system, contributing to reduced system costs.
Location of the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant Expansion Project.
A panoramic view of the Hoa Binh Hydropower Plant on the Da River.
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