The Dakdrinh hydropower plant in Quang Ngai has stopped generating electricity. The shutdown is a direct response to a severe water shortage and it affects households, farms and factories in the region.

El Nino has sharply cut the water flowing into the Dakdrinh reservoir. According to Nguyen Duy Nghia, head of the company's technical department, inflows have averaged only about 20 cubic metres per second in recent days, far below historical averages.

Because the water level fell to 377 metres – only two metres above the dead‑water level of 375 metres – the plant’s operator halted electricity generation. Dakdrinh Hydropower JSC said the shutdown is meant to give priority to water supplies for downstream communities, agricultural production and the Dung Quat Economic Zone.

Officials warned that without significant rainfall, water‑accumulation efforts could be jeopardised, putting residents and industry at risk. The warning highlights how quickly water scarcity can threaten essential services.

The problem is not limited to Quang Ngai. Vietnam's Department of Water Resources Management, and deputy head Nguyen Manh Ha, said more than 700 hydropower reservoirs nationwide are facing storage deficits of between 7.73 and 11 billion cubic metres because of El Nino, underscoring a wider water‑security challenge.

The Dakdrinh shutdown shows how a strong El Nino can turn a power plant into a water‑conservation tool, directly affecting daily life and the local economy. Restoring water levels will be essential for reliable electricity, farming and industry.