Vinacomin and EVN discuss solutions to supply coal for power generation in 2023.
Reporting at the meeting, EVN Generation Technical Board informed that in 11 months of 2022, Vinacomin provided for the EVN thermal power plants (TPPs) 15.64 tons of coal, equaling 98.4% of the total contract volume. In general, in the 11 months of 2022, Vinacomin was provided with enough coal volume according to the signed contract. However, the coal volume in the last months of the year is gradually decreased. In the fourth quarter, Vinacomin provided completely imported blended coal. At the meeting, Vinacomin's special boards said that despite the great efforts, Vinacomin faced a number of factors affecting coal providing for power generation as licenses for limiting coal mining in domestic coal demand for economic development and importing coal with high prices.
It expects in December of 2022 Vinacomin will provide EVN with 1.27 million tons of coal and in the whole of 2022, equal to 97.1% of the contract amount in 2022. Due to that the coal demand for the thermal power plants is high in the last months of 2022, while the coal supply decreases which leads to coal inventory stock levels in Thai Binh 1, Hai Phong and Vinh Tan 2 TPPs falling lower than norm level.
Vinacomin informed that the coal volume in its inventory stock until December 2022 is only 1.5 million tons much lower than the same period of the last year.
Mr. Ngo Son Hai, EVN Deputy Director considered that the low coal level in Vinacomin and TPPs is a worrying thing that should directly affect TPPs, especially in the 6 beginning months of 2023 with the high electricity demand. Therefore, EVN asks Vinacomin to coordinate TPPs for supplying coal types with the economic-technical criteria to meet the actual needs of each TPP.
In calculation, in 2023, Vinacomin and Northeast Corporation will supply EVN 45.89 million tons of coal, with 17.98 million tons for only EVN TPPs, by 1.5 million tons lower than the long-term coal contract.
The TPPs expect to mobilize at a low level due to many challenges from a decrease in the domestic coal supply while the coal demand at the TPPs will increase. In 2023 Vinacomin also should supply EVN-only blend coal that will seriously affect the stable and economic operation of the TPPs, increase the breakdown risks, and decrease the available capacity of the TPPs greatly affecting electricity supply in the dry season of 2023.
In this case, EVN asks Vinacomin to make the solution for increasing domestic coal exploitation in immediate and long-term perspectives, ensuring a continuous stable coal supply for TPPs in occasions of 2023 New Year and Vietnam National Tet, increase the coal volume for TPPs in the first months of 2023.
Mr. Le Quang Dung – Vinacomin Deputy Director informed us that some factors affect coal quality, such as humidity, the rains, open coal grounds, and coal grinding…Vinacomin will overcome the subjective factors for ensuring the technical norms according to the supply coal contracts.