Conference on coal quality management and supply for power production

EVN General Director Nguyen Anh Tuan chaired the conference on quality management and coal supply for electricity production.

Sufficient coal for power generation:

EVN's Production Engineering Department informed: Currently, EVN and its Power Generation Corporations (GENCOs) own 11 coal-fired thermal power plants/companies with a total installed capacity of 12,678 MW, accounting for about 15% of the total installed capacity of the entire system and approximately 43% of the total capacity within EVN. On average, thermal power plants (NMNĐ) under EVN and GENCOs consume about 40 million tons of coal annually, of which 28 million tons are domestically produced anthracite coal, 12 million tons are imported bituminous/ sub - bituminous coal.

In the first 8 months of 2024, the total coal volume provided by Vietnam National Coal - Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) and Dong Bac Corporation (Dong Bac Corporation) to EVN's thermal power plants was 16.6 million tons, ensuring the demand for electricity production and actual inventory of the thermal power plants. For thermal power plants using imported bituminous/sub-bituminous coal (Vinh Tan 4 Thermal Power Plant, Duyen Hai 3 and 3 expansion thermal power plants), the total coal volume used was 5.58 million tons, meeting the demand for electricity generation according to the system's mobilization.

EVN Deputy General Director Ngo Son Hai commented: In 2024, TKV, Dong Bac Corporation and EVN have made effective efforts to cooperate, ensuring enough coal for electricity production. The quality of coal supplied to thermal power plants has also been improved compared to previous years.

In fact, since September 2023, EVN, TKV and Dong Bac Corporation have signed a long-term coal supply cooperation agreement for EVN's thermal power plants using anthracite coal, according to which the parties agreed that TKV and Dong Bac Corporation will be politically responsible for providing enough anthracite coal for the operation of all EVN's thermal power plants from 2024 and the following years during the entire operation period of the plants.

For the purpose of ensuring national energy security:

The National Power System and Electricity Market Operation Company Limited (NSMO) calculates the 2025 operation plan according to 4 scenarios, according to which the coal demand of the scenarios fluctuates between 27.31 and 28.53 million tons. This coal volume is within the scope of the Cooperation Agreement signed by EVN, TKV, and Dong Bac Corporation, which will ensure enough coal for electricity production.

For thermal power plants using imported coal, the coal demand is about 11.13 million tons in 2025. The units will balance the remaining volume according to the contract, make a procurement plan to ensure enough coal fuel according to the system's needs.

Identifying coal fuel as an important factor in mobilizing and producing thermal power, EVN has directed thermal power plants to regularly coordinate and work with coal suppliers to arrange sufficient and stable coal fuel continuously according to the mobilization requirements of the power system. In particular, thermal power plants need to accurately calculate the demand and volume of coal to fully and promptly prepare for electricity production according to the market mechanism, ensuring that in any situation, there is no interruption in the supply of coal for the power production of the plant. Maintain readiness and adequate reserves of coal fuel, ensuring the efficiency of the plant's production activities.

EVN General Director Nguyen Anh Tuan requested that the power plants improve the effectiveness of coordination with NSMOs and coal suppliers in calculating and updating the power mobilization plan and coal demand to effectively implement solutions to ensure coal sources for the plant's operations.

EVN General Director also requested TKV and Dong Bac Corporation to continue to promote the good cooperation foundation and promote the activities of the Steering Committee for coal supply to power plants.

EVN also requested TKV and Dong Bac Corporation to implement the agreed content in the signed Cooperation Agreement on improving the types and quality of coal delivered to suit the needs of power generation units. It requested TKV and Dong Bac Corporation to continue to promote the search for low-volatility coal sources, ensuring additional technical monitoring indicators in line with the design of thermal power plants, contributing to ensuring stable operation and preventing unit failures.

At the conference, representatives of TKV and Dong Bac Corporation expressed their agreement and consensus in continuously cooperating closely between the parties, striving to carry out the political tasks assigned by the Party and State, and seriously implementing the Government's instructions to ensure the country's energy security./.