Forum on realizing the goals of the revised Power Development Plan VIII and solutions for power generation by 2030

Mr. Nguyen Thai Son – Standing Vice Chairman of VEA – announced the purpose of the forum and introduced the attending delegates.

Mr. Doan Ngoc Duong, Deputy Director of the Electricity Department (Ministry of Industry and Trade), officially opened the forum.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Doan Ngoc Duong, Deputy Director General of the Electricity Authority of Vietnam (MOIT), stated that Power Development Plan VIII sets the target of reaching a total power generation capacity of 183,000–236,000 MW by 2030. However, realizing this target faces significant challenges due to the large project scale and substantial investment requirements. This forum serves as an opportunity to discuss and propose policies to achieve the 2030 goal, with a vision toward 2050.

Presidium (from right to left): Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan – Vice Chairman (first) and Secretary General of VEA; Mr. Doan Ngoc Duong – Deputy Director of the Electricity Authority (MOIT); Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh – Vice Chairman of VEA, Deputy General Director of T&T Group, and Chairwoman of T&T Energy; and Mr. Nguyen Duy Quoc Viet – Deputy General Director of EVN Ho Chi Minh.

Overview of the forum.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong – Planning and Development Department, Electricity Authority (MOIT).

In the presentation titled “Overview of the revised National Power Development Plan for the period 2021–2030, with a vision to 2050”, the Electricity Authority emphasized that revising Power Development Plan VIII is an urgent task to ensure sufficient electricity supply for the accelerated development phase. The plan sets the goals of safeguarding national energy security, promoting a just energy transition, and fostering the development of a renewable energy industry–service ecosystem.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tu – Deputy Head of Planning Department, EVN.

EVN delivered a presentation titled “Challenges in investing in power grid development for power evacuation in general, and renewable energy in particular, under the revised Power Development Plan VIII.”

According to EVN, the investment demand for the transmission grid in the 2025–2030 period is estimated at around USD 3 billion per year, but the corporation can only meet about 40% of this requirement. Although the legal framework has allowed private participation in power transmission, the investment mechanisms remain insufficiently attractive. In addition, project implementation procedures are still complex and time-consuming.

EVN made the following recommendations to the Government and relevant ministries and agencies:

• Issue transparent and attractive investment policies to mobilize private capital in power transmission.

• Prioritize capital support and land allocation for backbone transmission projects such as 500 kV and HVDC lines.

• Accelerate approval procedures, land clearance, and compensation to facilitate project implementation.

• Require power project investors to closely coordinate with EVN in providing information and project timelines to ensure synchronization between generation and transmission.

Mr. Mai Xuan Ba – Head of Investment and Construction Department, PV GAS.

PV GAS participated in the Forum with a presentation titled “Solutions to address bottlenecks and accelerate the progress of LNG supply projects for power generation.”

According to the revised Power Development Plan VIII, by 2030 there will be 15 LNG-to-power plants with a total capacity of 25,624 MW (equivalent to 14% of the country’s total capacity), consuming about 17 million tons of LNG per year. However, project implementation typically takes 7–10 years, while the only LNG infrastructure currently in operation is the Thi Vai terminal. Other terminal projects are facing numerous obstacles related to planning, connectivity, and financing.

Several barriers remain in practice:

• The Qc 65% mechanism is not aligned with long-term LNG import plans, creating risks that LNG power plants may be under-dispatched or suspended.

• Adjusting Qc on a semi-annual basis instead of annually disrupts LNG import planning and increases the risk of contract violations.

• Low utilization of domestic gas impacts upstream field development and reduces state budget revenue.

PV GAS made the following recommendations:

• Develop large-scale LNG hubs with pipeline connection systems in four key regions: North, North Central, South Central (Son My), and Southeast (Thi Vai).

• Introduce mechanisms to guarantee that the Qc 65% baseline capacity is dispatched, in line with long-term LNG contracts.

• Allow the remaining Qc to be dispatched according to market demand.

• Maximize the utilization of existing gas-fired power plants using domestic natural gas.

Mr. Li Ray – Director of Solutions, Goldwind Asia.

Goldwind delivered a presentation titled “Technological and advanced electrical equipment solutions for Vietnam’s energy transition.”

According to Goldwind, as renewable energy gradually becomes the primary power source, renewable facilities will not only supply electricity but also can “form the grid,” providing grid-supporting functions such as regulation and fault ride-through, while the role of conventional power plants will shift toward supporting and balancing the system.

The power system is evolving under three major trends:

• Energy balancing: transitioning from “supply following demand” to “source–load interaction,” supported by storage and multi-energy conversion; Grid connection: shifting from AC synchronization to power electronic connections; Operational mechanism: moving from physical rotational inertia to artificial intelligence–based algorithmic control.

Goldwind is researching and applying a range of technology solutions, including: BESS – short-term storage for wide applications; Molten salt thermal solar energy storage; Compressed air energy storage (CAES); Pumped hydro storage.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tu – Director of Business and Project Development, IPC E&C.

A representative of IPC E&C – a pioneering EPC contractor in the renewable energy sector – stated that by 2025, the company will have developed and is implementing more than 2,000 MW of solar and wind power projects, making it one of the largest EPC contractors in Vietnam. With an in-house design team of 70 engineers, modern equipment, and strong financial capacity, IPC E&C is well-positioned to execute projects in complex terrains while flexibly supporting investors throughout the entire development and implementation process.

Currently, IPC E&C serves as a full-package EPC general contractor for energy and industrial projects.

Mr. Lin Zeyu – Commercial Director of GEDI Vietnam.

Guangdong Electric Power Design Institute (GEDI) delivered a presentation on the risks and solutions for the power system as the share of variable renewable energy (VRE) increases. GEDI pointed out that VRE integration can be divided into six stages, ranging from negligible impact to the point where the system is forced to curtail capacity. The intermittent nature and lack of rotational inertia of wind power—particularly offshore wind—can cause significant fluctuations in the grid.

GEDI proposed five groups of solutions:

1. Retrofit coal-fired power plants for flexibility – lowering minimum load to below 20–30%.

2. Develop energy storage systems – such as pumped hydro and BESS.

3. Establish grid connection standards for wind power – ensuring compliance with requirements on frequency regulation, voltage stability, system inertia, and reserve capacity.

4. Adopt cross-sector coupling and fuel-switching strategies – enhancing flexibility on the demand side.

5. Apply smart dispatching technologies and wind power forecasting.

GEDI reaffirmed its capability to provide end-to-end services, from planning and surveying to EPC for power infrastructure projects.

Mr. Pham Dai Son – Head of National Key Projects Management Department – Energy, SIKA Vietnam Co., Ltd.

Mr. Pham Dai Son introduced Sika – a Swiss corporation ranked among the world’s Top 20 most reputable companies and a global market leader. Sika officially entered Vietnam in 1993 as a wholly foreign-owned subsidiary of Sika AG, specializing in products and solutions for various construction sectors, particularly in coatings and waterproofing materials.

In the energy sector, Sika Vietnam has contributed to several major projects:

1. Ca Mau Wind Power (350 MW, 2021–2022): supplied grout for turbine foundations, solutions for blade repair and restoration, and waterproofing for tower foundations.

2. Long Son Petrochemical Complex: provided advanced solutions ranging from concrete admixtures, waterproofing, repair and protection to joint sealing, bonding, and flooring systems.

3. Son La Hydropower Plant: supplied waterproofing, rehabilitation, and flooring solutions.

Discussion and Conclusion:

Representative of Nam A Commercial Joint Stock Bank.

Mr. Tran Thanh Minh – Deputy Director of the Ninh Binh Department of Industry and Trade.

Mr. Bui Van Thinh – General Director of Binh Thuan Wind Power Joint Stock Company.

During the discussion session, many questions were raised for the speakers to answer, along with remarks, suggestions, and direct sharing from the participating delegates.

• After the Electricity Law was passed, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued price frameworks for all types of power sources. However, the direct power purchase agreement (DPPA) mechanism has not yet been widely implemented: only direct-connection DPPAs exist, while agreements via the national grid are still absent.

• Despite facing difficulties after the FIT period, private and FDI enterprises continue to invest strongly in power generation. For example, T&T Group is developing an LNG project in Quang Tri with equipment capable of co-firing hydrogen, aiming toward the Net Zero 2050 target.

• Participants emphasized the need to issue technical standards for BESS and regulations on mandatory ratios, thereby facilitating the formation of a domestic market. With a clear mechanism, enterprises are ready to invest and establish joint ventures to manufacture BESS in Vietnam – an important step toward equipment self-sufficiency.

• A representative of Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation shared that around 21,000 rooftop solar systems with a total capacity of 1,000 MWp have been registered, though most are still small-scale projects.

Mr. Nguyen Duy Quoc Viet – Deputy General Director of Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation.

EVN acknowledged delays in power generation development in recent years and has promoted electricity imports from Laos and China through 220 kV and 500 kV transmission lines. These projects are progressing in line with the planned schedule.

However, the pace of bringing new power sources online remains far below the targets of the revised Power Development Plan VIII. According to the plan, installed capacity needs to reach 230 GW by 2030, which requires adding more than 20 GW per year on average – a very significant challenge.

Three main reasons were identified:

• The legal and regulatory framework remains unclear, creating difficulties for implementation.

• The process of bidding and selecting investors at the local level is inconsistent, with each locality applying different approaches.

• Electricity prices are low and increase slowly, undermining investor confidence in project deployment.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan – Vice Chairman and Secretary General of VEA

After the forum, the Vietnam Energy Association expressed its gratitude to the speakers and delegates for their insightful and dedicated contributions. Numerous solutions, proposals, and experiences were shared to help the power sector overcome challenges, ensure sufficient electricity supply, maintain energy security, and promote energy transition while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The association will compile the recommendations and submit them to the relevant authorities for the prompt issuance of clear, transparent, and feasible regulations, contributing to the realization of the key objectives of the revised Power Development Plan VIII.

Some photos from the forum:

Enterprises meeting on the sidelines of the Forum: