The Thai Ministry of Energy has announced it would stop work on the long-delayed 1,320 MW thermal power plant project in the central province of Quang Tri.

Vo Van Hung, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee revealed the news on Thursday while he attended the second Viet Nam-Thailand Energy Forum (VTEF) in Bangkok, Thailand.

The project’s investor is Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) International Company Limited. The company was granted an investment licence in 2013 but the project has yet to be implemented.

The plant was planned to be built on an area of 450ha in Dong Nam Economic Zone in the province.

Hung said that the decision was made after considering the recommendations of the committee, assessing the factors causing obstacles in the financial arrangement and equity of the project, as well as the implementation of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26) commitments to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 of the two Governments of Viet Nam and Thailand.

Thai and Vietnamese delegations had a meeting in Bangkok. — Photo Quảng Trị Province's Portal

The Thai Ministry of Energy also said that it will soon send an official document about the cancellation of the project to the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and Quang Tri Province.

The Thai Ministry of Energy suggested the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the province continue to create favourable conditions for the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) International Company Limited in the future, so that the company can seek more opportunities to invest in other renewable energy projects or invest in infrastructure for the implementation of other renewable energy projects in Viet Nam and Quang Tri in particular. — VNS