The Conclusion of Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh on finalizing PDP VIII

On February 21, 2022, DPM Le Van Thanh chaired a meeting on finalizing PDP VIII. After listening to the report of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and the comments of the delegates attending the meeting, DPM Le Van Thanh concluded:

Firstly, in base, it is agreed with the draft PDP VIII reported by MOIT on February 21, 2022 which proposes a total capacity of the power plants of 146,000 MW by 2030 and more than 352,000 MW by 2045. DPM asked MOIT to adjust the following contents:

1/ Agreeing with EVN proposal to convert the fuel of Quang Trach Power center from coal to LNG due to investing Quang Trach center including both Quang Trach 1 & 2 power projects in LNG firing.

2/ The rate of the solar power projects in PDP VIII is too high (as 25% capacity of the power plants). MOIT should review to decrease solar power capacity and appropriately increase off-shore wind power capacity for ensuring efficiency.

3/ Besides In the basic alternative, the MOIT may propose the energy transition alternatives with stronger measures as MOIT proposals for earlier carrying Vietnam commitments at COP 26 as follow:

- Converting fuel of the power projects Nam Dinh 1, Quang Tri 1, Vinh Tan 3, Song Hau 2 from coal to gas or renewable energy, how happens the feasibility of negations for terminating commitments with the foreign investors?

- What is the order and procedure for reporting the competent authorities if the nuclear power development? What environmental impact of the nuclear projects in comparison with coal and gas-fired power projects?

- Increasing the capacity of the pump-storage hydropower projects, using power storage systems, hydrogen for power generation and developing biomass power projects should guarantee competition and efficiency in comparison with the other power projects or not?

Secondly: In the report, the MOIT must clear the issues for asking opinions of the Permanent Government accordingly with regulations should pay attention to:

- For ensuring the efficiency of the economy, it is suggested to the Permanent Government to consider removing from the adjusted PDP VII the solar power projects that are not yet (approx. 6,500 MW).

- Asking the Permanent Government to include in PDP VIII the rooftop solar power projects with a total capacity of about 7,755 MW for the people and enterprises to install themselves (in applying the provisions of Decision No. 13/2020/QD-TTg dated April 6, 2020 of the Prime Minister), according to the general guidance of MOIT and signed power purchase contracts with the power corporations under the Vietnam Electricity Group.

Thirdly: For the proposal of the Party Civil Affairs Committee The Ministry of Industry and Trade (in Document No. 110/CV-BCSD dated February 11, 2022) on delaying the submission of Power Planning Project VIII to the second quarter of 2022, the PDM Le Van Thanh said:

PDP VIII is a particularly important project that directly relates to ensuring national energy security, so the Ministry of Industry and Trade must urgently finalize and submit it to the Prime Minister before February 28, 2022 for submitting the Permanent Government before Conference with the local authorities in order to finalize the procedures for approving accordingly to the regulations.