Pha Lai Power Complex

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Pha Lai Power Complex is an operating power station of at least 1040-megawatts (MW) in Pha Lai, Chi Linh, Hai Duong, Vietnam with multiple units, some of which are not currently operating.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
Pha Lai Power Complex Pha Lai, Chi Linh, Hai Duong, Vietnam 21.117004, 106.308581 (exact)

The map below shows the exact location of the power station.

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

  • Phase II Unit 1, Phase II Unit 2, Phase III: 21.117004, 106.308581
  • Phase I Unit 1, Phase I Unit 2, Phase I Unit 3, Phase I Unit 4: 21.116894, 106.305873

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name Status Fuel(s) Capacity (MW) Technology Start year Retired year
Phase I Unit 1 operating coal - anthracite 110 subcritical 1983
Phase I Unit 2 operating coal - anthracite 110 subcritical 1984
Phase I Unit 3 operating coal - anthracite 110 subcritical 1985
Phase I Unit 4 operating coal - anthracite 110 subcritical 1986
Phase II Unit 1 operating coal - anthracite 300 subcritical 2002
Phase II Unit 2 operating coal - anthracite 300 subcritical 2002
Phase III shelved coal - anthracite 660 unknown

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name Owner
Phase I Unit 1 Pha Lai Thermal Power JSC (GENCO2PPC) [100.0%]
Phase I Unit 2 Pha Lai Thermal Power JSC (GENCO2PPC) [100.0%]
Phase I Unit 3 Pha Lai Thermal Power JSC (GENCO2PPC) [100.0%]
Phase I Unit 4 Pha Lai Thermal Power JSC (GENCO2PPC) [100.0%]
Phase II Unit 1 Pha Lai Thermal Power JSC (GENCO2PPC) [100.0%]
Phase II Unit 2 Pha Lai Thermal Power JSC (GENCO2PPC) [100.0%]
Phase III Pha Lai Thermal Power JSC (GENCO2PPC) [100.0%]

Background

Phả Lại-1 and Phả Lại-2

Construction of the 440-MW Phả Lại-1 started on 17 May 1980 and was completed in 1986.[1] It consists of four 110-MW turbines and eight boilers. Construction of the 600-MW second plant started on 8 June 1998 and it was completed in 2001 by Lilama Construction Company.[2] It consists of two 300-MW units with Mitsui Babcock Energy designed natural circulation boilers and General Electric generators.[3]

In July 2022, the power station was listed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade as a plant that was not fulfilling its coal procurement commitment contract. Reasons cited included the COVID-19 pandemic and price increases caused by the war in Ukraine.[4]

In October 2023, a ceremony was held to mark the power station's 40th anniversary of operation. At the event, research and planning for a potential fuel conversion of the 4 x 110 MW Phả Lại-1 units was mentioned.[5]

In January 2024, reporting indicated that Pha Lai Power Complex operated at a net loss of 31 billion VND (1.2 million USD) in the fourth quarter of 2023. The loss was said to be due to "major" maintenance and repairs.[6] The power station was profitable in the first quarter of 2024.[7]

Phả Lại-3

In January 2019 Phả Lại Thermal Power JSC announced that it was conducting a pre-feasibility study to add Phả Lại-3 to the Power Development Plan VIII and expected to break ground in 2020-2021.[8] In October 2019 Phả Lại Thermal Power JSC convened a meeting of the People's Committee of Chi Linh City, National Power Transmission Corporation, and Hai Duong Power Company to plan for the development of the 660-MW Phả Lại-3 coal-fired plant.[9]

In June 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Trade stated that the Phả Lại-3 expansion would probably be delayed until after 2030 due to difficulties in mobilizing capital.[10] An October 2021 report by GreenID lists the Phả Lại-3 power station as one of 18 coal-fired power stations in Vietnam that was struggling to secure financing. Given that China, Japan, and South Korea have all committed to stop financing new coal-fired power stations, it will be extremely difficult for any of these projects to secure funding in the future.[11]

On July 4, 2022, the Ministry of Industry and Trade appeared to provide an update on the draft PDP. The document’s list of major power projects planned for 2021-2030 (PDF pages 18-20) did not include the project.[12] On July 15, 2022, the Deputy Prime Minister appeared to request further review of the major power projects that had been included in the revised PDP VII but not in the draft PDP VIII.[13] Because the project was not listed in PDP VII or VIII, it was presumed shelved.

Environmental Impact

As of January 2024, Phả Lại-1 had reportedly been fined by the Police Department for Environmental Crime Prevention and Control and ordered to suspend operations for 12 months. The power station was said to have exceeded dust, SO3, and NOx emissions limits. However, the power station did not comply with the order and continued to operate. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment had not officially requested the power station to stop operating, because the capacity was necessary for national energy security.[14]

Articles and Resources

References

  1. Pha Lai Power Station, Wikipedia, accessed May 2020
  2. "Pha Lai Thermal Power JSC: Full Operation to Power National Economy". Vietnam Business Forum. 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2012-09-30.
  3. "Pha Lai Coal-Fired Power Plant, Vietnam". Power Technology. Net Resources International. Retrieved 2012-09-30.
  4. Thermal power plants hungry for coal, Vietnam Net Global, July 15, 2022
  5. Nhiệt điện Phả Lại: Những dấu ấn đặc biệt trong hành trình 40 năm, Công Ty Cổ Phần Nhiệt Điện Phả Lại, October 29, 2023
  6. Kinh doanh dưới giá vốn, vì sao Nhiệt điện Phả Lại vẫn lãi hơn 430 tỷ?, Người đưa tin, January 20, 2024
  7. Nhiệt điện Phả Lại (PPC) báo lãi quý I/2024 tăng gần 4 lần cùng kỳ, Doanh Nhân, April 22, 2024
  8. Nhiệt điện Phả Lại: "Lá cờ đầu" ngành nhiệt điện, Cong Thuong, Jan. 20, 2020
  9. PPC: Quy hoạch dự án Nhiệt điện Phả Lại 3, ppc.evn.vn, Oct. 30, 2019
  10. Đức Dũng, Đến năm 2025, Việt Nam có thể rơi vào tình trạng thiếu điện, BAN BIÊN TẬP TIN KINH TẾ, Thông tấn xã Việt Nam, June 17, 2021
  11. Trung Chanh, 18 dự án nhiệt điện than trong quy hoạch khó tiếp cận vốn, The Saigon Times, Oct. 3, 2021
  12. “Draft National Power Development Plan VIII,” MOIT, July 4, 2022
  13. “Thiệt hại ra sao nếu không làm 2.430MW điện mặt trời ngoài quy hoạch Điện 8,” Laodong, July 18, 2022
  14. Pha Lai Thermal Power Plant is still operating despite being ordered to suspend for 1 year, vietnam.vn, January 26, 2024

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.