At risk of lack of coal for power generation, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued an urgent order

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has just issued Document No. 1225/BCT-DKT dated 11/3/2022 on “ensure provide coal for power generation“.

Coal supply for thermal power is being affected.

In this document, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has requested the Vietnam Coal-Mineral Industry Group and the Northeast Corporation to immediately take measures to ensure coal production capacity, implement all solutions to ensure the supply of coal. enough coal for thermal power plants in accordance with the signed Coal Purchase/Supply Contract (especially BOT thermal power plants using domestic coal to avoid the situation that the Vietnamese side has to pay compensation due to the shutdown of the machine). for lack of fuel).

The Ministry of Industry and Trade emphasized that in any case, there should not be a shortage of coal for power production as committed in the signed Coal Purchase/Supply Contract. The Ministry of Industry and Trade also requested EVN to direct the National Load Dispatch Center to have a dispatching solution suitable to the actual situation as well as to notify the monthly updated mobilization plan to the investor of thermal power plants. coal power to promptly arrange coal sources for electricity production.

Previously, the Ministry of Industry and Trade received a number of documents from a number of coal-fired power plant investors reporting on the Vietnam Coal-Mineral Industry Group (TKV) and the Northeast Corporation providing no enough coal volume in the first 2 months of 2022 according to the signed coal sale/supply contract.

The data reported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade shows that in February, the total amount of coal actually supplied by TKV Group and the Northeast Corporation to EVN’s coal-fired power plants was equivalent to only 69.24%. volume of contracts signed and much lower than the operating needs of these plants. In particular, Vinh Tan 1 BOT coal-fired power plant is also not supplied with enough coal according to the coal supply contract signed at the end of 2013 and this may lead to the risk of the Vietnamese side having to compensate due to the shutdown. for lack of fuel.

In a document of TKV Group, one of the reasons for not providing enough coal for electricity production in the recent time is due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, leading to a shortage of human resources. work in coal mines.

In addition to the complicated situation of the COVID-19 epidemic, which continues to be complicated, especially the number of infections has increased sharply since the Lunar New Year, another remarkable development has impacted the international energy market. is the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

In the days since late February, prices of fuels such as oil, gas, gasoline and even coal in many international markets have continuously increased. Transporting fuel by all modes of transport is difficult due to sanctions, including coal seagoing ships. This not only limits the volume of coal circulating in the market, but also makes the international coal price increase to an unprecedented record compared to before.

Luong Bang