The Ministry of Industry and Trade asked the government to list thermo-electric plant Long An No. 2 in its development master plan until 2020. — Photo Vnexpress.net

According to VnExpress online, the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and the Long An Vinakobalt Company Limited suggested developing the US$3.17 billion project, under the form of build-operate-transfer.

The firms planned to build the 133-hectare factory in Can Giuoc District in the Mekong (Cuu Long) Delta province of Long An, with two turbines generating a total capacity of 1,600MW.

The project was expected to consume between 3.5 million and 4.5 million tonnes of coal, which would be imported from Australia or Indonesia, every year. It was slated for operation by 2022 with an estimated power generating cost of 7.53 cents per kWh.

The national schemes said Long An had already planned 1,200MW thermo-electricity plant, which would begin operation in Can Duoc District by 2024, although no investors had been defined for this project.

"The MoIT has suggested organising an electricity centre in Long An so that the two factories will be concentrated in one area, in order to assure investment efficiency and share advantages of infrastructure and transmission systems," the ministry wrote in a document sent to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

The Ministry of Finance favoured the development of the Long An 2 factory to guarantee power security for the country's southern region, while the Ministry of Planning and Investment urged authorities to study further whether it is necessary to develop this additional facility.

According to VnExpress, the investors' reports on Long An 2 remain incomplete as they have not provided schemes related to technology, site clearance and resettlement.

South Korea's KEPCO has implemented more than 30 power projects in 18 countries. These include the thermo-electricity plant Nghi Son 2 with a capacity of 1,200MW in Viet Nam's central Thanh Hoa Province. — VNS