Scientists and experts have called for Vietnam to assess negative impacts of coal-fired power projects on the environment and society amid increasing concern over the efficiency of this source of energy.

Vinh Tan 2 thermopower plant in Binh Thuan Province.

Issues of thermal power projects were raised at a conference in HCMC on April 27 by 350 Vietnam, a non-governmental organization on energy.

Nguyen Thu Trang, coordinator of the Vietnam Sustainable Energy Alliance (VSEA), said coal-fired power stations will contribute over 50% of the country’s total electricity output. This has stoked concern that waste discharged by the power plants would worsen air and water pollution as well as affect local communities.

The coal-fired power price is cheap but if its impacts on the environment and society are taken into account, it would be extremely high, Trang said.

She said VSEA has proposed Vietnam reform the electricity pricing policy to ensure transparency and count in relevant costs for environmental and social impacts of coal-fired power stations.

According to the Vietnam Energy Institute, the national power development plan for the 2011-2020 period with a vision to 2030, also known as Power Master Plan VII, has been revised in a way that gradually reduces the share of coal-fired power plants.

By 2020 renewable energy would account for 38% of the nation’s power output, including from large and medium hydropower plants.

According to Trang, Vietnam now has 19 coal-fired power plants and the number will rise to 52

by 2030, with about 85 million tons of imported coal needed a year to fire these facilities. Therefore, investors of coal-fueled power projects need to apply modern technology to minimize environmental pollution, and evaluating the overall efficiency of such projects is a must.

Trang voiced concern over whether it is a right choice to continue developing coal-fired power projects.

Aviva Imhof from the European Climate Foundation said Vietnam is among the countries hard hit by climate change.

The total capacity of coal-fired power projects under construction worldwide amounts to about 1,400 GW. Vietnam’s current coal-fired power plants have a total capacity of about 20 GW and more such facilities will go up with a combined capacity of about 40 GW.

She said a number of countries have cut coal use since 2014. China has introduced a 3.6% cut due to concern over air pollution and spent more on clean energy such as wind and solar power.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has called off coal-fired power projects with a capacity of about 47 GW and more projects with nearly 50 GW would face the same fate.

According to scientists, about 800,000 people across the globe die of diseases related to emissions from coal-fired power plants a year.

In Power Master Plan VII, coal-fired power last year accounted for 35.1% of total capacity nationwide, above 33.6% from hydropower. Coal-fired power plants will make up 44.7%, or 30,000 MW, by 2020 and 56.1% by 2030.

The country will have to increase coal imports due to a depletion of domestic coal resources and increasing demand for this environmentally unfriendly fuel.

Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) plans to build three power plants with a combined capacity of 3,000 MW running on imported coal – Duyen Hai 3 extension (600MW), Vinh Tan 4 (1,200 MW), and Duyen Hai 3 (1,200 MW) plants.

Meanwhile, Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PVN) has five power projects fueled by imported coal with a total capacity of 6,000 MW.