Ho Bon — Vietnam

Ho Bon is a 18 MW hydro power plant in Lai Chau, Vietnam. It is operated by Forth Lake Hydropower JSC. Based on reported annual generation of 73 GWh, it can supply roughly 21k homes. It ranks #213 of 298 Vietnam power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2012, it is around 14 years old — relatively modern. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 33.0% of Vietnam's electricity; the national grid averages 461 gCO₂/kWh (45.4% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1030912.

Data provenance

Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.

capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 18 MW, Ho Bon is below the median hydro plant in Vietnam (20 MW). Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Load factor

46%, from 73 GWh of reported generation, in line with the 46% median for 152 hydro plants in Vietnam

Share of Vietnam hydro capacity

0.1% of 17,313 MW across 174 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

91 of 162 dated hydro plants in Vietnam are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest hydro plants in Vietnam

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by Forth Lake Hydropower JSC.

Local climate & thermal context

This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 21.9°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 66% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 25/100 — this site sits in the bottom third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #95 largest hydro power plant of 174 in Vietnam by capacity.

Vietnam has 174 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 17,313 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Muong Kim · Hydro · 13.5 MW · Lai Chau
• Ban Chat · Hydro · 220 MW · Lai Chau
• Huoi Quang · Hydro · 520 MW · Son La
• Nam Khot · Hydro · 14 MW · Son La
• Nam Chien 1 · Hydro · 200 MW · Son La
• Ngoi Hut 2 · Hydro · 48 MW · Yen Bai

Location

Coordinates 21.8778, 103.942 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions