VietNamNet Bridge - After Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said that Vietnam will not develop more coal hydropower plants, environmental organizations released statements lauding the decision.


The decision was announced at a government meeting about the amendment of plans on electricity development and coal industry development until 2020.

The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade to submit plans to amend both the plans drawn up before which aim to control and protect the environment. 

The amendment aims at better controlling and protecting the environment, while ensuring the strict implementation of international commitments on emissions cuts.

He told MOIT not to draw up more coal power plants and think of replacing coal power plants with gas power plants. 

Meanwhile, Vietnam will also try to attract investment in renewable energy projects.

Under the seventh electricity development plan, which is going to be adjusted, coal power plants would account for 35.1 percent of total electricity capacity by 2015, while hydropower plants 33.6 percent. 

Under the seventh electricity development plan, which is going to be adjusted, coal power plants would account for 35.1 percent of total electricity capacity by 2015, while hydropower plants 33.6 percent.

By 2020, the coal power plants would churn out 44.7 percent of total capacity, or nearly 30,000 MW. The figure would be 56.1 percent. 

While the number of coal power plants is expected to increase, Vietnam’s coal is running out. 

According to the Vietnam Coal and Minerals Industry Group (Vinacomin), Vietnam needs 23-24 million tons to run coal power plants. From 2016, Vietnam would have to import coal, estimated at several millions tons, while the figure would be 20-30 million per annum from 2020.

Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), the biggest electricity generator, alone has three coal power plants with the capacity of 3,000 MW run with imported coal, namely expanded Duyen Hai 3 (600 MW), Vinh Tan 4 (1,200 MW) and Duyen Hai 3 (1,200 NW). 

PetroVietnam has five plants with the total capacity of 6,000 MW.

Nguy Thi Khanh, director of GreenID, the green development center, has applauded the government’s commitment on stopping development of coal power plants, which would help Vietnam ease reliance on coal power. 

However, she noted that though many projects have been cut, more coal power plants will still be built.

“We hope the government will thoroughly reconsider the coal power plants which are about to be built, and lay down necessary policies to encourage the development of renewable energy and effective use of energy,” she said.

Khanh on to say that all coal power plants must be equipped with systems which control pollution effectively, and are in accordance with international standards.

Analysts commented that Vietnam’s decision on lessening coal power development would deal another blow to the world’s coal mining industry. 

Thien Nhien