Vietnam's 1.6 GW Nhon Trach LNG Power Plant Enters Operation, Featuring HA-Class Gas Turbines

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Two new combined-cycle units at Vietnam's Nhon Trach plant entered commercial operation in December 2025, with a total installed capacity of 1.6 million kilowatts (1.6 GW), making it the country's first power plant to use HA-class gas turbines and its first liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled facility. The project is owned and operated by PetroVietnam Power Corp. (PV Power) and is located in the Ong Keo Industrial Park in Dai Phuoc Commune, approximately 70 kilometers southeast of Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam's robust economic growth has driven a steady rise in electricity demand. Government data shows that as of June 2026, Vietnam's population slightly exceeded 102 million, a significant increase from over 77 million at the turn of the century, with accelerated urbanization boosting commercial and residential electricity consumption. The International Trade Administration (ITA), under the U.S. Department of Commerce, cited BMI Research data earlier this year indicating that Vietnam's electricity demand will grow at an average annual rate of 7.2% through 2034. The country's latest energy plan estimates that transmission investment will require approximately $62 billion by 2050, with about $18 billion to be invested between 2026 and 2030. The plan also supports the deployment of advanced grid technologies such as digital monitoring, smart grids, and high-voltage transmission.

Vietnam plans to develop nuclear power, but new plants are not expected to enter operation until between 2030 and 2035. While expanding renewable energy output and reducing coal dependence, the country is accelerating the addition of utility-scale power generation resources, with gas-fired power playing a significant role. Ramesh Singaram, President and CEO of GE Vernova's Gas Power business in Asia Pacific, stated that this project is Vietnam's first plant to use HA-class gas turbines and its first LNG-fueled facility, demonstrating the role of efficient gas-fired power in supporting grid reliability, facilitating renewable energy integration, and accelerating the transition away from coal.

Nhon Trach Units 3 and 4 are part of the Nhon Trach expansion project, one of a series of major infrastructure and industrial projects in Dong Nai Province, and were named finalists for POWER magazine's "Top Plant Award" in the gas-fired category. Each unit is a power block with a capacity exceeding 800 megawatts, with core equipment including the GE Vernova 9HA.02 gas turbine (the company's most efficient 50-hertz turbine platform), an STF-D650 steam turbine, a W88 generator, and a once-through heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). The plant employs a Mark VIe distributed control system to enhance digital visibility, availability, and plant performance while reducing long-term operation and maintenance costs.

GE Vernova stated that the use of the 9HA.02 turbine enables the plant to achieve a combined-cycle efficiency exceeding 63%, placing it among the most efficient power plants globally. Compared with coal-fired plants of equivalent output, the Nhon Trach units reduce carbon emissions by approximately 61%. Vu Van Loi, Director of PV Power's Investment and Construction Department, disclosed this comparative figure and noted that the project employed local personnel during the construction phase, who are now part of the plant's operations team. The project was built by engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) companies Samsung C&T and Lilama.

The two units currently operate on LNG, and their DLN2.6e dry low-NOx combustion systems have a 50% hydrogen co-firing capability, with the potential for 100% hydrogen operation in the future. Vu Van Loi stated that PV Power is prioritizing the development of other LNG power projects, including LNG Quynh Lap and LNG Vung Ang 3, while advancing renewable energy, green transition projects, and hydrogen and ammonia co-firing initiatives.

The Revised Power Development Plan VIII, issued by the Vietnamese government on April 15, 2025, clarifies the role of LNG in ensuring energy security, setting a target of 22.524 million kilowatts of LNG-fired capacity by 2030, accounting for 9.5% to 12.3% of the energy mix; by 2050, this figure is expected to rise to nearly 50 million kilowatts. Vietnam's demand for natural gas and LNG is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 12%, potentially tripling by the mid-2030s.