Part of the $557 million Mao Khe Thermal Power Plant, which opened yesterday in the northern province of Quang Ninh. — VNA/VNS Photo Trong Dat

QUANG NINH (VNS) — The inauguration of US$557 million Mao Khe Thermal Power Plant took place yesterday in the north-eastern province of Quang Ninh, six months earlier than schedule.

Covering an area of 72ha in Dong Trieu District, Quang Ninh Province, the power plant is equipped with two turbines that have a combined capacity of 440MW and consumes the dust of coal transported from Mao Khe, Trang Bach, Khe Chuoi and Hong Thai mines to generate electricity.

The plant's investors, the Viet Nam Coal Mineral Industries Group (Vinacomin) commenced work on the plant on July 8, 2009. It is to provide around 2.6 billion kWh of electricity for the national grid per year.

The Mao Khe Thermal Power Plant is the key project under the national electricity master plan that has been approved by the Government.

The investment capital of the plant was arranged by Vietnam Eximbank, China Eximbank, Bank of China and Paribas.

The thermal power plant was built by China's Wuhan Kaidi Electric Power Company, Wuhan Kaidi Electric Power Engineering Company and Germany's WULFF under an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with Vinacomin worth $429.5 million.

Under the 42-month contract, contractors had to complete construction and installation of equipment, from the initial survey to the test run, and handle personnel training and maintenance.

Le Minh Chuan, general director of Vinacomin said the plant used environmentally friendly technology known as the circulating fluidised-bed (CFB) combustion technology that has been used in other Vinacomin's project such as Na Duong, Cao Ngan, Son Dong and Cam Pha. — VNS