Record Flood Discharge of 14,700 m³/s from Song Ba Ha Hydropower Plant: What’s the Extent of the Devastating Flooding?

According to the Labor Newspaper, as of this afternoon (November 19), the Dak Lak Provincial Civil Defense Command announced that the Song Ba Ha Hydropower Plant has increased its flood discharge to nearly 13,000 m³/s.

By the afternoon of November 19, water levels in the Ba River rose rapidly due to the increasing flood discharge from upstream. At 2:40 PM, the Song Ba Ha Hydropower Plant recorded a discharge rate of 14,740 m³/s, while the Song Hinh Plant discharged 656.32 m³/s, causing rapid flooding in low-lying areas.

The Song Ba Ha Hydropower Plant is releasing floodwaters at such a high rate due to heavy rainfall in the upper Ba River basin. Meanwhile, other hydropower plants in the Ba River cascade system, such as Dak Krong (over 7,000 m³/s) and Krong H’nang (over 2,100 m³/s), are also discharging floodwaters.

According to the flood map of the lower Ba River, when the Song Ba Ha Hydropower Plant discharges at 14,000 m³/s, over 80% of the residential areas along the lower Ba River will face severe flooding.

One of the Largest Hydropower Plants in Central Vietnam

Located at the border of Song Hinh District (Phu Yen Province) and Krong Pa District (Gia Lai Province), the Song Ba Ha Hydropower Plant is the final cascade project on the Ba River system—the largest river in Central Vietnam’s coastal region.

With a total installed capacity of 220 MW (comprising 2 turbines), Song Ba Ha is one of the largest hydropower plants in Central Vietnam and the Central Highlands. Its capacity rivals major plants like Upper Kon Tum and Srepok 3 and surpasses others such as An Khe – Ka Nak (173 MW), Da Nhim (160 MW), and Song Hinh (70 MW).

The plant’s strategic location at the lower river basin gives it a reservoir with a vast catchment area of 11,115 km² and a total capacity of 395 million m³. This not only optimizes its average annual electricity output to approximately 825 million kWh but also plays a critical role in flood control for the Tuy Hoa Plain and water supply for Phu Yen Province.

Song Ba Ha Hydropower JSC (Upcom: SBH), the plant’s operator, has a chartered capital of 1.242 trillion VND. EVN Genco2 holds over 60% of the shares, while REE Corporation owns nearly 26%.

The plant’s large capacity and favorable hydrological conditions drove significant growth for SBH in Q3/2025. According to the latest financial report, commercial electricity output reached 290 million kWh, a 47% increase year-over-year.

As a result, Q3 revenue reached 323 billion VND, up 34%. Notably, the cost of goods sold decreased by 12% to 88 billion VND, driving a 67% surge in gross profit to 235 billion VND. Gross profit margins improved significantly.

Financial activities also saw positive results, with revenue exceeding 11 billion VND, double the previous year, primarily from interest on cash deposits. After deducting expenses, Song Ba Ha reported Q3 net profit of nearly 189 billion VND, a 51% increase from Q3/2024.

For the first nine months of 2025, the company recorded revenue of 518 billion VND (up 36%) and net profit of 271 billion VND (2.3 times higher year-over-year). SBH has achieved 63% of its annual revenue target and exceeded its pre-tax profit goal by 88%.

Alongside strong business performance, Song Ba Ha maintains a healthy financial position typical of hydropower companies with fully depreciated debt. As of September 30, 2025, total assets reached over 2.000 trillion VND, a 14% increase from the beginning of the year.

A highlight of the balance sheet is its high liquidity, with cash, cash equivalents, and term deposits totaling 922 billion VND, accounting for 45% of total assets.

Liabilities amount to 245 billion VND, primarily comprising payables to suppliers, taxes, and other state obligations. The company remains debt-free, with no short-term or long-term financial liabilities.