Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong on January 7 asked the southern coastal province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau to weigh environmental and economic impacts of liquefied natural gas (LNG) electricity projects that are seeking approval.

Phu My electricity centre in Ba Ria-Vung Tau (Photo: baodautu.vn) 

The deputy minister held a working session with the provincial authorities on the five waiting LNG projects. They comprise the 6,000 MW Cai Mep Ha LNG Complex in Phu My town, the 4,500 MW Long Son electricity centre and the 4,800 MW Long Son LNG electricity plant in Vung Tau city, the 1,200 MW gas-fired Ba Ria 2 plant in Ba Ria city, and the Phu My 3.1 thermal power plant with a capacity of 850 MW in Phu My town.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau should consider the number of gas-fired plants in Phu My and Long Son, and report it to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and the Prime Minister, Vuong said.

The official also urged the locality to map out a long-term planning scheme which, he said, should include land for energy projects.

On this occasion, he asked the Institute of Energy to define the maximum power generation capacity of Ba Ria-Vung Tau while mapping out the 8th power development master plan for 2020-2030. The master plan should be submitted to the MoIT and the Government for assessment in the first quarter of 2021 at the latest.

The Electricity of Vietnam was requested to supplement the Long Son electricity centre to the adjusted 7th power development master plan for 2010-2020.

Bui Thi Dung, Director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade, said Ba Ria-Vung Tau has proposed adding some LNG electricity projects in the locality to the national power development plan, but no decision has been made so far.

Ba Ria-Vung Tau also suggested the ministry instruct the power sector to soon develop 220kV and 500kV transmission lines in the locality and its adjacent areas in anticipation of the inclusion of the above LNG projects in the national power development plan.