HANOI: The Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PVN) has been in talks with seven foreign companies over a plan to import 15 million tons of coal a year to fuel three major thermal power stations which will be commissioned in the Mekong Delta by 2020. PVN is developing the three coal-fired plants, Long Phu 1 (1,200MW), Long Phu 3 (1,800MW) and Song Hau 1 (1,200MW), according to the National Electricity Development Plan for 2011-2020.
These plants will consume around 12 million tons of coal a year to churn out about 20 billion kWh of electricity annually for the national grid, contributing to ensuring energy security in the southern region and the country as a whole. The Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) is the country’s biggest coal producer and exporter. But in the coming years, Vinacomin will have to import certain types of coal to meet domestic demand.
This explains why PVN has signed a deal in principle with its subsidiary PetroVietnam Power Corporation (PV Power) to look for stable supplies of high-quality coal for its power plants. Ho Cong Ky, chairman of PV Power, said his company has finished negotiations with seven foreign coal suppliers, and local coal mine owners to sign framework agreements on total annual coal supplies of about 15 million tons.
