Thanh Hoa urged to remove obstacles to Cong Thanh LNG project

1,500 MW LNG power plant project in Thanh Hoa required to be revived. Photo: chinhphu.vn

At a meeting on October 21, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc asked that Thanh Hoa People's Committee, along with relevant ministries and Cong Thanh Thermal Power Plant JSC, the project’s investor, work together to issue plans to continue construction.

At the meeting, leaders of Thanh Hoa People's Committee stated that the locality had worked with the investors many times; however, the project still had several issues that needed review and completion regarding investment procedures, conditions, and implementation plans.

“Resolving the obstacles requires a thorough review of the entire previous investment process and the conversion from coal-to LNG-fired power. Relevant agencies need to clearly identify the remaining issues, the responsibilities of each stakeholder, and feasible solutions,” DPM Tuc said.

“Regarding relevant infrastructure, the province and the investor need to agree on a suitable plan that harmonises the interests of all parties. In particular, the parties should prioritise utilising existing facilities in the area according to the plan. The investor is responsible for completing the procedures and demonstrating its financial capacity and project implementation plan. The implementation process must have specific milestones, clearly defining the responsibilities and commitments of each stakeholder," he said.

The Cong Thanh thermal power project broke ground in 2011 with a coal-fired capacity of 600 MW and an initial investment of approximately $1.2 billion. According to the original plan, its two turbines were scheduled to go into operation in 2014.

After nearly 11 years of delays due to difficulties in arranging capital, in July 2022, the province proposed switching to using LNG, increasing the capacity to 1,500 MW. This plan was updated in the adjusted Power Development Plan VIII in April 2025. This project is included in the list of national important projects, key projects in the energy sector, and was expected to be operational in 2031-2035.

In August 2025, Cong Thanh Thermal Power JSC and a consortium of South Korea’s Doosan Enerbility and Vietnam’s Power Engineering Consulting JSC 2 signed a principle agreement on the implementation of the project. However, the construction has yet to continue.

Cong Thanh's plant is one of 18 long-delayed LNG-fuel projects in Vietnam. Of the 18 LNG power plant projects under monitoring with a total capacity of over 20,000 MW, 16 projects have completed the investor selection process, while the remaining two projects, namely Nghi Son LNG and Long Son LNG, still have not selected investors.

In May, Nghi Son Economic Zone Management Authority had to cancel the bidding to select the investors for the Nghi Son LNG-fired thermal power project for the third time, as zero dossiers were submitted.

Of the 16 projects that already have investors, only two have actually commenced construction, while 14 are still in the process of finalising investment preparations.

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