2nd conference on National Energy Master Plan

On November 11th, 2020, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (“MoIT”) held the second conference on the National Energy Master Plan for the period of 2021 - 2030 with a vision up to 2050 at Melia Hotel, Hanoi. The conference was attended by a number of officers from the Government Office, Ministries, Branches, Agencies, Institutes and international organizations.

MoIT Deputy Minister Dang Hoang An opened the conference

For the side of Vinacomin Industry Investment Consulting Joint Stock Company (“VIMCC”) that is in charge of implementing the Coal Sub-sector Plan project under Vietnam National Coal-Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited, Mr. Nguyen Viet Cuong, Deputy Director of the Company and the project implementation staff attended the conference.

At the 1^st conference held at the end of August recently, VIMCC made an executive report on the Coal Sub-sector Plan project with the following five main contents: Current status and development orientation of the coal sector in Vietnam, situation of implementing the coal sector plan, inter-sectorial and inter-regional connection of the coal sector, current status of potential coal use, coal mining and supply capability and coal production development orientation. At that conference, VIMCC received many advices from the distinguished delegates. VIMCC added them to and completed the draft Coal Sub-sector Plan.

VIMCC Deputy Director Nguyen Viet Cuong made a report at the conference.

At the 2^nd conference, Mr. Nguyen Viet Cuong presented the contents of the remaining matters of the project. He focused on such contents as planning scenario, list of projects and implementation solutions, and attached special attention to the matters of environmental protection and assurance of coal sector’s development in the direction of harmonization and friendliness to the environment, community and other economic sectors.   

In the planning scenario, Mr. Cuong provided the forecasts of coal demand in the industrial and civil sectors as well as forecasts of coal imports from 2020 to 2050 as follows: The coal demand in the industrial and civil sectors would be 90~135 million tons, among which the power sector would account for approximately 70%, chemical and fertilizer sector: 3%, cement sector: 8%, metallurgy: 9%, and other industrial and civil sectors: 5%. The coal imports would vary within 50~100 million tons.  

The Coal Sub-sector Plan project received many suggestions from the representatives of ministries, branches, local governments and delegates in terms of investment, coal prices, coal export and consumption policies, coal import policies, foreign mining investment policies, etc.  

The National Energy Master Plan for the period of 2021 - 2030 with a vision up to 2050 is prepared in the context that the Politburo of Vietnam has just issued Resolution No. 55-NQ/TW on “Orientations of the National Energy Development Strategy of Vietnam to 2030 with a vision to 2045”. The making of the Energy Master Plan will provide a comprehensive assessment of national energy supply and demand and connect energy development with the social, economic and environment development goals which Vietnam set forth and committed to the international community.  

For that reason, this National Energy Master Plan should put forward an optimal energy infrastructure development scenario for the country. This is the first time that Vietnam has built an energy master plan. Therefore, the planning will face many challenges in synchronizing and ensuring compatibility with other plans at the same and higher levels. In addition, drawing mechanisms for implementing the plan requires many suggestions and advices from different related parties.

By: PV