The Ministry of Industry and Trade yesterday held a conference in Hanoi to implement the plan for implementing the National Electricity Development Plan for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050 (referred to as Power Plan VIII). Previously, the Prime Minister approved this plan on April 1.
According to the Implementation Plan of Power Plan VIII, two inter-regional renewable energy industrial service centers including the Center No. 1 in Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Thai Binh and surrounding areas with a scale of about 2,000MW and the Center No. 2 in Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding areas will be built.
At the conference, General Director of Vietnam Electricity (EVN) Nguyen Anh Tuan proposed that the Ministry of Industry and Trade promulgate regulations to control the progress of power source and grid projects as well as impose sanctions on the projects whose progress is behind schedule.
At the conference, representatives of some localities also asked the Ministry of Industry and Trade to allow the conversion of coal-fired power projects to LNG-fired power plants or increase renewable energy power sources. Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien affirmed that the types of power sources and capacities in Power Planning VIII have been evaluated and forecast to meet the country's development requirements, so localities need to comply with the plan.
Regarding the implementation plan of Electricity Planning VIII, at the regular press conference for the first quarter of 2024 recently organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Hanoi, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan said that according to the present regulations, after the plan is issued, related agencies and localities necessarily develop an implementation plan.
The highlight of this plan is the issue of energy conversion, said Mr. Nhat Tan. The government encourages the development of clean and green energy sources in addition to mechanisms accompanying with the government’s encouragement to support people during energy conversion. He added that it is important to specify projects to develop a plan.
According to the Power Plan VIII, it is necessary to specify projects in key and priority areas which account for up to 70 percent of capacity. In addition, localities should specify their power projects.
However, local administrations are currently confused about carrying out power projects so the Ministry has reported to the Government and the Standing Government proposing to give more time for localities to review their situation, said Deputy Minister Nguyen Sinh Nhat Tan.
