Dr. Nguyen Xuan Khien, former head of the Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources, considering the pros and cons of coal power plant development, warned that such costs could be even higher than the amount of money needed to develop clean energy sources.

According to Khien, at the mining sites in Quang Ninh province, coal is exploited under a closed conveyor system which connects the exploitation places and means of transport, while water is sprayed to reduce dust. 

Vietnam still cannot utilize other modern technologies because of financial limitations.

“Methane exists at mines which may cause fatal accidents if methane cannot be treated well. After long rainy days, water cracking accidents may occur at old mining sites,” he said.

Regarding the treatment to prevent dust in the air, Khien said there was no solution to the problem, while the electrostatic precipitator has not been used. 

“There are so many risks Vietnam has to face when exploiting coal to run thermal power plants, which will require huge money to be dealt with,” he said.

Under current regulations, power plant developers have to submit reports on possible impact on the environment to MONRE for approval. However, in many cases, investors ignore the requirement.

In other cases, investors build pollution treatment systems, but they only run the systems when receiving inspectors from state management agencies. On other days, they discharge waste directly into the environment. 

The truth is that investors do not want to spend money on the costly systems. Meanwhile, the law enforcement in Vietnam remains ineffective to deter the violations.

Khien related a story about a purified water enterprise. Customers complained to state management agencies that they found moss in a bottle of water. State management agencies then informed the enterprise that they will take an inspection tour in three days. And when inspectors came, they could not find any problem.

Khien has called for a reconsideration of geothermal resources.

An energy expert said he agrees that it would be better to develop geothermal power plants, because the geothermal power will allow sustainable development despite the required high initial investment.

The expert said at least 14 geothermal sources are believed to satisfy requirements for power plants. 

Nguyen Duc Cuong, director of the Energy Center, an arm of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said that continuing coal-run thermal power plants were the only solution for Vietnam.

Cuong said that developing coal-run thermal power remains the top priority considering existing conditions, including coal import prices.

Dat Viet