Coal-fired power cost price four times higher than hydroelectricity

The Deputy General Director of Vietnam Electricity (EVN) said that while the cost price of coal-fired power was reaching VND4,000 per kWh due to the sharp increase in imported coal prices, that of hydroelectricity was only VND1,000 per kWh.
Coal-fired power cost price four times higher than hydroelectricity ảnh 1 Mr. Ngo Son Hai, Deputy General Director of EVN, speaks at the meeting. (Photo: SGGP)
The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control held a meeting to review the preparation for the operation of the inter-reservoir in the Red River basin in 2022 on June 3, in Hanoi.

At this meeting, Mr. Ngo Son Hai, Deputy General Director of EVN, said that at present, the water source in the river systems in the North is very good, so the capacity of most water reservoirs is running at the maximum, especially hydroelectric plants on the Da River, with a capacity of 24 hours per day.

According to Mr. Ngo Son Hai, this year, the price of input fuels for thermal power production, such as coal, has climbed extremely high, leading to higher electricity production costs.

"The price of imported coal has risen five times. The cost price of coal-fired power has reached VND4,000 per kWh while that of hydroelectricity is only VND1,000 per kWh,” Mr. Hai informed and suggested that there should be rational calculation and operational direction about water storage and discharge to effectively use water sources on hydroelectric reservoirs, as well as ensure safety against natural disasters.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has recently reported the situation of electricity production in May and forecast for June.
Coal-fired power cost price four times higher than hydroelectricity ảnh 2 Tuyen Quang Hydropower Plant releases water on June 2. (Photo: SGGP)
In May, domestically produced and imported electricity by the whole system was estimated at 23.36 billion kWh, including the output of rooftop solar power, down 2.4 percent compared to the same period in 2021, 1.149 billion kWh lower than the approved power supply and power system operation plan in 2022. In the first five months of this year, the accumulated domestically produced and imported electricity was estimated at 108,758 billion kWh, an increase of 4 percent compared to the same period last year, 109 million kWh lower than the plan. According to updated calculations of EVN, the domestically produced and imported electricity of the entire power system in the remaining seven months of 2022 is estimated at 166.641 billion kWh. "Based on the actual situation of electricity supply in the first five months of the year and the plan in the remaining months, the Ministry of Industry and Trade assesses that the electricity supply will basically be guaranteed in 2022, and there will be no shortage of electricity," the agency said.

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