Energy projects in Ninh Thuan: Overlapping planning issues arise

While many energy projects with owners are still waiting for obstacles to be resolved, Ninh Thuan province must simultaneously resolve the problem of overlapping planning to quickly find investors for a series of new projects.

Ninh Thuan is planned to develop 45 energy projects. In the photo: Hanbaram Wind Power Plant

Old project still stuck

Mr. Ho Xuan Ninh, Director of Ninh Thuan Department of Industry and Trade, said that in Ninh Thuan province, there are 22 renewable energy projects; of which, 8 projects have approved investors with a total capacity of 2,677 MW, 14 projects are in the process of selecting investors.

These eight projects include: Phuoc Hoa pumped storage hydropower plant; Bac Ai pumped storage hydropower plant; Phuoc Huu wind power plant; Vietnam Power No. 1 wind power plant; Cong Hai 1 wind power plant - Phase I and Phase II; Phuoc Nam - Enfinity - Ninh Thuan renewable energy power plant and part of the capacity of Hanbaram wind power plant.

To date, according to the Department of Industry and Trade, the two projects have had their problems resolved. Specifically, the Phuoc Hoa Pumped Storage Hydropower Project encountered difficulties due to the slow issuance of the pricing mechanism, so the feasibility calculation and capital mobilization have not been implemented. However, on April 26, 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Decision No. 1198/QD-BCT, approving the electricity generation price framework for pumped storage hydropower plants in 2025.

The electricity price issue has been resolved. On May 13, 2025, the Department of Industry and Trade issued a document advising the Provincial People's Committee on electricity prices and requested the investor - Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) to speed up the project implementation progress (start construction in the fourth quarter of 2025, put the project into operation in the fourth quarter of 2030).

The leaders of Ninh Thuan Provincial People's Committee requested departments and branches to coordinate in preparing necessary conditions to carry out bidding procedures and call for investors for energy projects that are eligible for implementation. In particular, it is necessary to closely and thoroughly review projects to avoid overlapping planning; at the same time, coordinate in reviewing and supplementing the adjusted list for a number of projects, and submit to the Provincial People's Committee to adjust land use planning.

For a part of the capacity of Hanbaram Wind Power Plant (capacity of 93 MW), which was operated by the investor after January 1, 2021, this capacity scale must be transferred to the Power Plan VIII. Currently, the project is included in the Power Plan VIII, so it has been operated and generated electricity.

The remaining 6 projects are facing difficulties and problems that need to be resolved. Of which, for the Bac Ai Pumped Storage Hydropower Project, the Bac Ai District People's Committee has not approved the land price coefficient and crop product price to calculate compensation and support when the State reclaims land. The Bac Ai District Land Fund Development Center has not completed the compensation and support plan for 29 families that have not received compensation and support.

EVN has proposed that the People's Committee of Ninh Thuan province have a support policy for 29 families who have not received compensation and support, and at the same time directed the People's Committee of Bac Ai district to approve the above content.

Regarding the 3 wind power projects, the Phuoc Huu Wind Power Plant Project of Ha Do Thuan Nam Wind Power Company Limited, the Cong Hai 1 Wind Power Plant Project - Phase I and Phase II of Power Generation Corporation 2 - JSC all face the same problem of not having an electricity price mechanism. The reason is that the Ministry of Industry and Trade has not yet issued a wind power price framework for 2025.

Meanwhile, the Vietnam Power No. 1 Wind Power Plant Project of Palatial Global Inc., in addition to encountering problems due to overlapping planning of the Seafood Processing Industrial Cluster, also has to adjust the turbine scale and update land use needs.

Regarding planning overlap, the Department of Agriculture and Environment has requested to arrange wind turbines 300 meters away from the Seafood Processing Industrial Cluster Project.

Palatial Global Inc. Company recommends that the Provincial People's Committee and relevant departments and branches support and quickly approve the updated adjustment of the investment policy according to the documents submitted to the Department of Finance on March 3, 2025.

Regarding the Phuoc Nam - Enfinity - Ninh Thuan Renewable Energy Power Plant Project (investor Enfinity), the implementation progress has not been extended in the investment certificate, so there is no legal basis to carry out the remaining procedures (land recovery, site clearance compensation, submission of feasibility study report...). Enfinity Company submitted the application for adjustment of the project's investment certificate on April 8, 2025 and supplemented it on April 18, 2025.

According to the Ninh Thuan Department of Industry and Trade, for wind power projects facing problems with electricity price mechanisms, the Department will advise the Provincial People's Committee to propose the Ministry of Industry and Trade to soon issue a price framework for 2025 for wind power.

Regarding the Vietnam Power No. 1 Wind Power Plant Project, the Department of Industry and Trade found that the project has been approved in principle and approved by the investor. Currently, the only remaining problem is the proposal of the People's Committee of Thuan Nam district to take part of the project's land area to plan a concentrated seafood processing industrial cluster.

“The adjustment of the project as proposed by Thuan Nam district will prolong the progress and create related procedures related to land and environment, leading to delays in commencement and completion in the context of the province needing new capacity for growth in 2025 and the following years. Therefore, it is recommended that the Provincial People's Committee agree to maintain the scale and boundaries of the project as approved in principle,” the Department of Industry and Trade proposed.

Regarding the location of the concentrated seafood processing industrial cluster, the Department of Industry and Trade of Ninh Thuan proposed that the Provincial People's Committee assign the People's Committee of Thuan Nam district to coordinate with departments and branches to propose and plan another suitable location.

The Department of Industry and Trade also proposed that the Department of Finance promptly adjust the progress of the Phuoc Nam - Enfinity - Ninh Thuan Renewable Energy Power Plant Project on the investment certificate according to the shortened time process as recommended by the investor to speed up construction.

New difficulties arise

According to Power Plan VIII, Ninh Thuan province has 16 projects, including 13 wind power projects with a total capacity of 461 MW and 3 small hydropower projects with a total capacity of 44 MW.

According to the Adjustment of Power Plan VIII approved by the Prime Minister on April 15, 2025, Ninh Thuan will have 29 more projects. Of which, 5 wind power projects with a total capacity of 1,039 MW; 4 hydropower projects with a total capacity of 29 MW; 20 solar power projects with a total capacity of 1,974 MW.

In total, Ninh Thuan has 45 energy projects that must be implemented according to the plan. Of these, 35 projects are in the bidding process to select investors.

However, these 35 unowned projects are affected and overlapped by other planning such as land, forestry, irrigation planning; construction planning; and other local planning.

Of these, 15 projects are in line with provincial and district planning, but are only affected and overlap with a small part of other planning (including 10 wind power projects, 4 solar power projects, and 1 hydropower project).

Mr. Ho Xuan Ninh informed that for this group of 15 projects, the Department of Industry and Trade has sent Document No. 1176, dated May 10, 2025 and Document No. 1177, dated May 11, 2025, requesting departments, branches and localities to continue reviewing and eliminating overlapping locations of power projects as a basis for implementing the next procedures.

Of the remaining 20 projects, 12 are in accordance with provincial and district planning, but overlap with or affect other planning or constructions; 8 projects are not included in provincial and district planning and affect or overlap with other planning.

In May 2025 alone, the Ninh Thuan Provincial People's Committee held 3 meetings (on May 6, May 15 and May 26) to hear progress reports on power projects approved under the Power Plan VIII. At these meetings, Mr. Trinh Minh Hoang, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, requested that for projects that have met the conditions, the relevant departments and branches urgently organize bidding in accordance with regulations to select investors for implementation; at the same time, review and remove difficulties for the remaining projects, ensuring conditions for continuing to select investors.

Along with that, the Vice Chairman of Ninh Thuan Provincial People's Committee directed local authorities to review and adjust overlapping projects in accordance with land use planning.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/du-an-nang-luong-tai-ninh-thuan-phat-sinh-van-de-chong-lan-quy-hoach-d294386.html