The Thai Ministry of Energy has decided to stop its 1,200MW coal-fired thermal power project in Quang Tri Province, central Vietnam after reviewing the idle project that has yet to be developed since it got approved more than nine years ago.

The decision was unveiled within the framework of the 2nd Vietnam - Thailand Energy Forum (VTEF 2) held by the ministry, in conjunction with the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade, in Bangkok on Thursday, Vo Van Hung, chairman of the Quang Tri administration, confirmed on Friday.

The Thai energy ministry also affirmed it would issue an official notice on the stoppage of this project to Vietnam's industry and trade ministry and the provincial government, Hung said.

The project, with an expected investment of US$2.26 billion from EGAT International Co. Ltd. (EGATi) under the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), secured the green light from the Vietnamese government in August 2013 but it has not been developed over different reasons.

At the forum, which discussed ways to achieve the common goal of clean and sustainable energy development between Thailand and Vietnam, Hung briefed its participants on the difficult situation of the project over the past years.

The chairman emphasized that the standstill of the project, which is located on a 450ha area in the province’s Southeast Economic Zone, has remarkably affected the local government’s socio-economic development plans.

Hung proposed that the Vietnamese industry and trade ministry and the Thai energy ministry review this non-operational project and make an official decision on it.

After considering the proposal, assessing the financial obstacles to the thermal power project, and taking into account the international commitments of the governments of Vietnam and Thailand to bring their net emissions to zero by 2050 and 2065, respectively, the Thai energy ministry decided to stop this project. 

The ministry, however, suggested that the industry and trade ministry and Quang Tri administration continue to assist EGAT and EGATi in seeking opportunities for investment in renewable energy projects or in infrastructure for such projects in Vietnam and the province in particular, the Quang Tri Portal reported.

Provincial leaders said local authorities are keen on developing Quang Tri into an energy hub of the central Vietnamese region and they encourage energy development projects that minimize adverse impacts on the environment.

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