The Japanese J-Power Development Company plans to build a thermal power plant in Dung Quat Economic Zone in the central province of Quang Ngai, the director of the International Development Business Department of J-Power Electricity, Jahana Takashi, told provincial officials on Thursday.

Takashi said the company would proceed with a pre-feasibility study on investment in the coal-fired plant, which will be built in two stages: capacity of 2,400 megawatts (MW) in the first stage in 2028, and the second stage with a 2,000 MW capacity for operation in 2030.

The plant will use coal from Australia, Russia, Indonesia and Viet Nam.

The chairman of Quang Ngai People’s Committee, Dang Ngoc Dung, promised smooth sailing for the project. He said the province has been calling for investment in updated energy technology to achieve green growth and sustainable development.

Sembcorp Development, a partner of the Viet Nam-Singapore Industrial Park Group with Becamex IDC, also plans to build a 1,200-megawatt coal-fired plant in the province under a 25-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangement.

Last month, American Exxon Mobil and the national oil and gas PetroVietnam (PVN) signed a US$10 billion framework agreement to build a power plant using natural gas extracted from the Ca Voi Xanh (Blue Whale) field in Quang Nam Province. The project will supply raw gas for four plants with a total generation capacity of 3,000MW – including two plants in the Dung Quat EZ in Quang Ngai Province – in the first phase. — VNS