Contractors extend construction start of $3 bln coal-fired power plant in southern Vietnam to Jun 30

By Tri Duc
Tue, May 21, 2024 | 10:59 am GMT+7

The issuance of a Note to Proceed (NTP) for the long-delayed coal-fired Song Hau 2 thermal power plant has been extended to June 30, said Malaysia-based Sunway Construction Group Berhad, a partner in the contractor consortium of the $3-billion project.

Vietnam’s Power Engineering Consulting JSC 2 (PECC2) and Sunway established the Sunway-PECC2 consortium as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the project in December 2022, the Malaysia firm clarified in a Monday filing sent to the Bursa Malaysia stock exchange.

The NTP could be reset again if “the parties mutually agree upon in writing,” Sunway noted. Work on the project, including design, engineering, procurement, manufacture, supply, construction, erection, testing and commissioning, have yet to commence pending the issuance of the NTP, Sunway stressed.

Song Hau 1 thermal power plant in Hau Giang province, southern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of CC1.

Song Hau 1 thermal power plant in Hau Giang province, southern Vietnam. Photo courtesy of CC1.

The update is part of an amendment to the contract signed between the project contractor and the owner in March 2023, according to the filing. Malaysia-based Toyo Ink Group Berhad and its Vietnamese subsidiary Song Hau 2 Power Company Ltd. are the investors of the 2,100-MW project, located in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang, Sunway added.

June 30 is also the extended deadline for the financial arrangement recovery period of the project, said Toyo Ventures Holdings Berhad, the parent firm of Toyo Ink Group Berhad, in an announcement released in April.

“Financial Close of the project is maintained by June 2024, where all the lenders are currently processing the financing documents led by the exclusive Mandated Lead Arranger,” Toyo Ventures Holdings said.

Hau Giang province and the Malaysian investor signed an agreement for the 2,120 MW project under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) format in December 2015. The project missed the initial deadline for completion in Q2/2022, partly due to the investor’s inability to meet its capital obligations.

The power plant is one of five coal-fired power projects prioritized in the national Power Development Plan VIII (PDP VIII). However, as all five projects – Cong Thanh, Nam Dinh 2, Quang Tri, Vinh Tan 3, and Song Hau 2 – are facing capital arrangement problems, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has extended their deployment deadlines to June 2024, failing which they could be terminated.

Comments ( 0)
  • Read More
VietinBank seeks to divest entire stake in Hai Phong Port via public auction

VietinBank seeks to divest entire stake in Hai Phong Port via public auction

VietinBank (HoSE: CTG) plans to divest its entire stake in state-controlled Hai Phong Port (UPCoM: PHP) through a public auction on the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX), potentially raising nearly VND278 billion ($10.57 million).

Companies - Thu, July 9, 2026 | 5:10 pm GMT+7

Starlink begins taking orders in Vietnam, first-year service costs $1,190

Starlink begins taking orders in Vietnam, first-year service costs $1,190

Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has released pricing and started accepting orders in Vietnam, with first-year costs estimated at about VND31.4 million ($1,190).

Companies - Thu, July 9, 2026 | 4:09 pm GMT+7

Masan High-Tech Materials partners with S Korea’s GBI on tungsten processing

Masan High-Tech Materials partners with S Korea’s GBI on tungsten processing

Masan High-Tech Materials (UPCoM: MSR), the mining unit of Vietnamese conglomerate Masan Group (HoSE: MSN), has entered into a strategic partnership with South Korea’s GB Innovation (GBI) to process Korean tungsten concentrate into higher-value products in Vietnam, strengthening a non-Chinese tungsten supply chain.

Companies - Thu, July 9, 2026 | 3:51 pm GMT+7

Idemitsu Kosan expands energy ecosystem in Vietnam

Idemitsu Kosan expands energy ecosystem in Vietnam

After more than three decades of operations in Vietnam, Japan’s Idemitsu Kosan is further expanding its energy ecosystem with a biomass pellet plant project in the central province of Gia Lai.

Industries - Thu, July 9, 2026 | 1:43 pm GMT+7

Two banks to list on Ho Chi Minh City bourse, expand charter capital

Two banks to list on Ho Chi Minh City bourse, expand charter capital

Vietnam's private banks Vietbank and BVBank are finalizing the last steps to transfer their trading from the unlisted public company market UPCoM to the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), while simultaneously implementing plans to increase their charter capital.

Banking - Thu, July 9, 2026 | 11:51 am GMT+7

Strong Q2 earnings, lower interest rates to bolster Vietnam stocks

Strong Q2 earnings, lower interest rates to bolster Vietnam stocks

Strong second-quarter corporate earnings and declining interest rates are expected to support Vietnam's stock market in the coming months, brokerage firms said, as the market moves beyond a period of limited news flow and enters a more favorable phase driven by improving fundamentals.

Finance - Thu, July 9, 2026 | 8:00 am GMT+7

Wistron raises construction, equipment investment in northern Vietnam province to $178 mln

Wistron raises construction, equipment investment in northern Vietnam province to $178 mln

Taiwanese technology firm Wistron has increased its investment in factory construction and equipment in Ninh Binh province to $178.27 million, adding $24.5 million to expand its facilities at Kim Bang Industrial Park.

Industries - Wed, July 8, 2026 | 7:56 pm GMT+7

Sun Group targets groundbreaking for $624 mln urban projects in central Vietnam this year

Sun Group targets groundbreaking for $624 mln urban projects in central Vietnam this year

Vietnam's leading developer Sun Group aims to begin construction of two urban projects worth a combined VND16.4 trillion ($623.78 million) in the central province of Quang Ngai by the end of 2026, while also advancing plans for a new expressway linking the province with the Central Highlands.

Real Estate - Wed, July 8, 2026 | 4:54 pm GMT+7

Vietnam raises airport number target to 36 by 2030 as aviation demand surges

Vietnam raises airport number target to 36 by 2030 as aviation demand surges

Vietnam plans to expand its airport network to 36 airports by 2030, up from the previous target of 30, under a revised national aviation infrastructure plan aimed at catering for rising passenger demand and boosting regional connectivity.

Infrastructure - Wed, July 8, 2026 | 4:45 pm GMT+7

Germany's VFT Bio Fuels UG eyes $3.1 bln green steel complex in southern Vietnam

Germany's VFT Bio Fuels UG eyes $3.1 bln green steel complex in southern Vietnam

Vietnamese industrial park developer IMG Phuoc Dong and Germany’s VFT Bio Fuels UG have signed a memorandum of understanding to study the development of a $3.1 billion green steel complex in the southern province of Tay Ninh.

Industries - Wed, July 8, 2026 | 4:25 pm GMT+7

Vietnam police minister urges Yamato Holdings to study investment in Gia Binh airport

Vietnam police minister urges Yamato Holdings to study investment in Gia Binh airport

Vietnam’s Minister of Public Security Luong Tam Quang has called on Japan’s Yamato Holdings to assess investment opportunities in warehousing and cargo transport systems at Gia Binh International Airport, while exploring potential cooperation and operational models with Vietnamese partners once the facility becomes operational.

Infrastructure - Wed, July 8, 2026 | 3:09 pm GMT+7

Vietnam real estate M&A favors quality, clear legal status assets as FDI priorities evolve

Vietnam real estate M&A favors quality, clear legal status assets as FDI priorities evolve

Vietnam's real estate M&A market continued to attract foreign capital in the first half of 2026 despite persistent global economic uncertainties, but foreign investors are increasingly targeting assets with clear legal status, stable cash flow, and strong operational performance, with data centers emerging as a key growth segment.

Real Estate - Wed, July 8, 2026 | 1:38 pm GMT+7

Central Vietnam hub Danang plans to tokenize nearly $4 bln in infrastructure projects to attract global capital

Central Vietnam hub Danang plans to tokenize nearly $4 bln in infrastructure projects to attract global capital

The Vietnam International Financial Center, located in the central city of Danang (VIFC Danang), plans to tokenize nearly $4 billion worth of infrastructure projects as part of a strategy to attract more global capital.

Economy - Wed, July 8, 2026 | 12:17 pm GMT+7

Computers, smartphones edge higher in price as AI memory boom tests Vietnam's ICT firms

Computers, smartphones edge higher in price as AI memory boom tests Vietnam's ICT firms

Rising memory chip prices driven by artificial intelligence are spreading from semiconductor manufacturers to consumer electronics brands such as Apple, Dell and ASUS, pushing up the prices of computers and smartphones.

Companies - Wed, July 8, 2026 | 8:00 am GMT+7

LG Innotek to build $1 bln semiconductor substrate plant in northern Vietnam

LG Innotek to build $1 bln semiconductor substrate plant in northern Vietnam

South Korea's LG Innotek will spend $1 billion to build a semiconductor package substrate manufacturing plant in Hai Phong city, with mass production scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2028, according to local authorities.

Industries - Tue, July 7, 2026 | 11:13 pm GMT+7

Malaysia’s JLand eyes up to $6 bln high-tech hub in Hanoi

Malaysia’s JLand eyes up to $6 bln high-tech hub in Hanoi

Malaysia’s JLand Group has proposed developing a high-tech, innovation and data center complex in Hanoi with an estimated investment of $4-6 billion, as Vietnam’s capital seeks to attract technology projects and strengthen its digital infrastructure.

Infrastructure - Tue, July 7, 2026 | 4:26 pm GMT+7