PV Power Successfully Fires Vietnam’s First LNG Power Plant

PV Power, a subsidiary of Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), has achieved a significant milestone by carrying out the initial firing of the country’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant. This marks a crucial step towards putting the project into commercial operation.

The Nhon Trach 3 LNG power plant’s inaugural ignition, a first in Vietnam, was conducted by PV Power’s General Director, Le Nhu Linh. This event also represents the first introduction of imported LNG into a power plant in the country.

With the country’s Prime Minister emphasizing the importance of expediting the commercial operation of LNG projects, the Nhon Trach 3 and 4 power plant, consisting of two 750 MW facilities with a combined capacity of 1,500 MW, is poised to significantly contribute to Vietnam’s power grid, supplying over 9 billion kWh of electricity annually.

The project’s engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) phase is nearly complete, with a joint venture between Samsung C&T and Lilama overseeing the project. The contractor aims to achieve plant synchronization by the end of January 2025 and system blowing and cleaning by February 2025.

Last year, crucial developments, including securing capital arrangements and signing a power purchase agreement with Electricity Power Trading Company (EPTC), have paved the way for the project’s progression. Furthermore, PV Power and PetroVietnam Gas (PV Gas) are finalizing a gas supply contract to ensure a stable gas source for future operations.

In 2023, PV Gas inaugurated Vietnam’s largest LNG terminal, Thi Vai, with a capacity of 1 million tons per annum in phase 1, expected to increase to three million tons in phase 2. The terminal received its fourth shipment in May 2024, further solidifying Vietnam’s position in the LNG market.