Page 12 - AsiaElec Week 09 2021

AsiaElec NEWS IN BRIEF AsiaElec

GEOTHERMAL controversial coal power plant in southern GRID
Vietnam.
Indonesia to form that Mitsubishi decided to cut ties to the Japan to struggle with cold
Sources close to the company told Reuters
geothermal holding project because of climate change concerns weather
and targets for cutting greenhouse gas
company emissions. Japan’s overstretched electricity grid is
likely to receive another Arctic blast in the
The Vinh Tan 3 coal plant in Binh Thuan
The Indonesian Ministry of State-Owned province is costing an estimated $2bn and coming days, which is already pushing up
Enterprises (BUMN) has revealed plans to will generate 2,000 MW of energy if finished, wholesale prices and may stress generators
create a holding for BUMN Geothermal. becoming Vietnam’s second coal plant larger as they struggle to keep units running after a
It will comprise three state-owned than 1,500 MW. The Vinh Tan coal power powerful quake.
companies working on the development and station, where the plant is being built, already While the world’s third-biggest economy is
operation of a geothermal power plant. has a major carbon footprint with three coal unlikely to see millions plunged into blackouts
The companies are geothermal energy power plants. as in the United States currently, the country
utilisation company PT Pertamina The project was one of two large-scale narrowly avoided power cuts only last month
Geothermal Energy (PGE), geothermal coal plants in Vietnam financed in part by in another wintry spell.
development and operating enterprise PT Geo Mitsubishi. The other, Vung Ang 2 in central Utilities and independent power providers
Dipa Energi (Persero), and Persero-owned Ha Tinh province, has drawn international got another jolt at the weekend when a
subsidiary PT PLN Geothermal. criticism for its massive environmental impact 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast
Pahala Mansury, deputy minister I of and carbon emissions, including from major of Fukushima, northern Japan, and sent plants
BUMN, has verified the formation of the global asset managers and the young Swedish into automatic shutdown, briefly knocking out
geothermal holding to local media, illustrating climate activist Greta Thunberg. power for nearly 1mn people.
the ownership of it as by PGE, PLN, and the Coal has become one of the riskiest energy Generation companies restarted some
Indonesian government. investments in Vietnam, as the country units on Tuesday after checks while wholesale
The holding company will be the largest has already built enough coal power plants electricity prices for peak-hour delivery on
across the world in terms of geothermal to meet almost 40% of its power needs. Wednesday reached a three-week high of
power generation capacity. Demand for coal will only decline as Vietnam 27.53 yen (26 U.S. cents) per kilowatt hour.
The holding company’s establishment is continues its rise as the leader for solar “Japan’s weather is getting colder, with
slated to be completed in 2021. power in Southeast Asia. In 2019, Vietnam’s the forecast pushing demand up quite
5,695 MW of solar power represented over considerably into Thursday,” said James
50% of the region’s solar capacity—before a Whistler, global head of energy derivatives at
solar building spree in 2020—according to a SSY.
COAL report by the International Renewable Energy “Thursday’s load forecast is up 20% on
Agency. Monday, or about 10 gigawatts, which gives
Mitsubishi drops Vietnam Tan 3 plant shows that foreign developers will market,” he said.
Mitsubishi’s decision to pull out of the Vinh you a sense of the size of the Japanese power
coal plant as investors face respond to the right combination of market company, told Reuters on Tuesday it had
JERA Co., Japan’s biggest power generation
forces, demands by shareholders and criticism
pressure for environmental, over environmental and social impacts of brought online another of the units at its
Hirono coal power station that were shut
their investments.
social risks are showing increasing concern about down in the earthquake.
The announcement also comes as investors
Japan Petroleum Exploration Co said it had
Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation announced environmental and social governance issues resumed partial operations on Tuesday of its
on February 25 that it will withdraw from a across Asia. liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal but the

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