Previously, ash and slag from coal-fired thermal power plants were considered waste, so most of the ash and slag were buried, which required a large amount of capital to invest in landfills, wasting resources and affecting the surrounding environment. From 2018 to the present, Vietnam Electricity  (EVN) has promoted solutions to consume ash and slag, turning this waste into resources for production and materials for the construction industry, contributing to the implementation of the circular economy strategy, linking power production and environmental responsibility.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan – President and CEO of EVN said that coal-fired thermal power is still the mainstay in the structure of our country's power sources, with a capacity of about 28,227MW, accounting for nearly 1/3 of the total power system capacity. EVN's thermal power plants alone contribute 12,672MW, equivalent to 14.5% of the entire system, notably large thermal power centers such as Duyen Hai and Vinh Tan. Many EVN plants have applied supercritical and ultra-supercritical technology. Notably, this year, Quang Trach I Thermal Power Plant will officially operate with ultra-supercritical (USC) technology, marking an important step forward in technological innovation, emission reduction, ash and slag reduction, and environmental protection.

To achieve the above outstanding results, EVN has announced the Projects for ash and slag treatment and consumption intending to consume 100% of the generated ash and slag by 2022, and consume all the stored amount at the landfill by 2025; contributing to the completion of standards and regulations related to the use of ash and slag, thereby helping to recognize ash and slag as a common industrial solid waste, managed as a commodity when it meets standards and regulations (Decree 08/2022 and Circular 02/2022); regularly supporting and creating conditions for plants to consume ash and slag.

Active participation by Coal-fired power plants

Following EVN's direction, coal-fired thermal power plants have implemented synchronous solutions, thereby not only helping to consume almost all of the daily ash and slag output but also reducing the amount of waste remaining in landfills.

For example, at Vinh Tan 4 Thermal Power Plant, in the first 6 months of 2025, the total amount of ash and slag generated was 119,860 tons, of which 107,108 tons were consumed, reaching nearly 90%. The company has implemented many solutions to facilitate the ash and slag consumption process, such as: Carrying out procedures to use a temporary port as an ash and slag export port, submitting to EVN for permission to bid for ash and slag treatment at the slag yard, and continuously searching for contractors to consume ash and slag, etc. The plant’s Youth Union is also an active and pioneering force when proactively proposing and coordinating with units to implement the Youth Project using fly ash-mixed concrete to build local roads, contributing to strengthening communication work for the unit's ash and slag consumption activities.

Speaking to reporters of the Industry and Trade Newspaper, Mr. Au Nguyen Dinh Thao, Deputy Director of Duyen Hai Thermal Power Company, said that the unit is managing and operating 3 thermal power plants, including Duyen Hai 1, Duyen Hai 3, and Duyen Hai 3 expansion at Duyen Hai Power Center with a total designed capacity of 3,178MW. The volume of ash and slag discharged daily is very large. However, the company has implemented many solutions, such as participating in conferences to invite businesses to participate in consumption, organizing auctions, and signing consumption contracts with favourable incentives.

Thanks to that, in the first 7 months of 2025, the ash consumption rate reached over 99%, and more than 180,000 tons of ash in stock at the landfill were also processed. This success makes Duyen Hai one of the leading units in the industry in solid waste management, contributing to realizing the goal of a circular economy in the energy sector.

When ash and slag are consumed, they will basically contribute to reducing the environmental burden, creating economic value for other industries such as ash and slag as construction materials, road filling, cement additives, concrete, etc., thereby contributing to the development of a circular and sustainable economy.

It can be affirmed that EVN is on the right track in the journey of converting ash into resources, contributing to realizing the goals of a green economy, sustainable production, and community responsibility. However, many experts believe that in order for the ash market to develop sustainably, the Government needs to soon issue detailed regulations, especially on the radiation index of ash used in infrastructure construction.

Translator: Mạnh Hùng