Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Đặng Hoàng An at the forum in Bangkok, Thailand.— VNA/VNS Photo Đỗ Sinh

BANGKOK — 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 Quảng Trị.

Võ Văn Hưng, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee revealed the news on Thursday while he attended the second Việt 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 Đông Nam Economic Zone in the province.

Hưng 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 Việt 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 Quảng Trị 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 Việt Nam and Quảng Trị in particular. — VNS