Raw coal is delivered to the Vang Danh coal sorting plant in Quang Ninh province (Photo: VNA)

Quang Ninh – The demand for coal is projected to rise sharply this month, particularly for power plants, given lower rainfall and increased production to prepare for the upcoming Lunar New Year celebration.

The promotion of electricity generation during the month also offers an opportunity for the coal industry to boost production and maximise supply to meet market consumption needs.

The Vietnam National Coal-Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited (Vinacomin) said it has developed a production plan for January and the first quarter with ambitious targets. In January, it aims to produce 2.9 million tonnes of raw coal and import approximately 1.3 million tonnes.

The total expected coal consumption for the first month is 4.3 million tonnes, of which 3.7 million tonnes will be supplied for power plants. Meanwhile, 42,000 tonnes are set to be provided for cement factories, 185,000 tonnes for fertiliser and chemical plants, and 331,000 tonnes for others.

Coal exports are set to hit around 27,500 tonnes, according to Vinacomin./.