Coal-fired power generation will continue to be the best option to meet the rising demand for electricity in Vietnam over the next 20 years, Lao Dong newspaper reported, citing participants at a seminar on December 13.

A thermal power plant in the south central province of Binh Thuan

Speaking at the seminar under the theme: “A Right Look at Coal-fired Thermal Power Plants,” Le Van Luc, deputy director of the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority, said that coal-fueled power generation will ensure adequate supply of electricity at reasonable tariffs.

Nguyen Tan Binh, director of Vietnam Electricity Group’s (EVN's) Department of Science, Technology and Environment, said that coal-fired thermal power stations, which have long fueled the country’s economic growth, are often treated as evils. Many residents have voiced their opposition to coal-fired power plants.

Truong Duy Nghia, chairman of the Vietnam Science and Thermal Technology Association, explained that these plants consume large amounts of coal and discharge tons of ash, causing environmental pollution. As such, coal is considered a dirty fuel.

Foreign markets use ash as a type of material, while Vietnam discards it at dumpsites, seeing it as waste, Nghia noted.

A report from Japan indicated that Japan uses 100% of ash from its plants and South Korea utilizes up to 97% of ash for manufacturing.

In addition, coal ash is said to contain heavy metals that cause cancers. However, the volume of these metals is small and would not damage the environment or residents’ health.

The representative from EVN noted that the group’s coal-fueled thermal power plants, such as Vinh Tan 4, the expanded Vinh Tan 4 and the expanded Duyen Hai 3, had applied modern technologies, including carbon emissions reduction technology, to meet the requirements for environmental protection.

Besides this, its old plants are also being supplemented with exhaust gas treatment systems and have had their equipment upgraded to minimize the negative impact on the environment and to raise efficiency.

Nghia said that coal-fired thermal power plants are the only coal-burning industrial facilities to have the most effective waste treatment systems.

Speaking of other sources of energy, Nghia pointed out that hydropower potential had been nearly used up. Meanwhile, gas-fired power costs a fortune, doubling the charges for coal-fueled thermal power.

As such, coal-fired power generation is the only solution to meet the country’s electricity demand over the next 10-20 years, Nghia said.

SGT