Investing in advanced exhaust gas treatment technologies
Power Generation Corporation 1 has been currently managing and operating thermal power plants including Duyen Hai 1, Duyen Hai 3 Extension, Nghi Son 1, Uong Bi, etc. During the process of performing investment in and development of a thermal power plant, EVNGENCO1 has carried out environmental impact assessment, analyzed the impact level of the project on the surrounding environment, which was shown in the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA) being approved by the competent authority.
To ensure the minimum concentration of dust emitted into the environment during operation, all EVNGENCO1’s thermal power plants have installed electrostatic precipitator (ESP) systems with dust treatment efficiency of over 99.6%. In recent years, monitoring results of environmental parameters at power plants have all met Vietnamese Standards (QCVN) on emissions and wastewater. In addition, thermal power plants have been equipped with constant automatic monitoring systems (24/7). Parameters and data are transmitted online to local Departments of Natural Resources and Environment and EVNGENCO1 for monitoring and inspection.
In addition, in all EVNGENCO1's thermal power plants, wastewater collection and treatment systems have been built to ensure compliance with QCVN 40:2011/BTNMT standard for industrial wastewater and QCVN 14:2008/BTNMT for domestic wastewater before being discharged into the environment. Wastewater after treatment that meets standards will be studied and partially reused for the generation process.
Slag yard of Duyen Hai Thermal Power Company greened with grass. Photo: DVCC
Actively consuming ash and slag
In recent times, EVNGENCO1 and its subsidiaries have made efforts to find many solutions to handle and consume ash and slag at thermal power plants, without affecting power plant operation. By the end of June 2023, the Corporation's power plants all reached a 100% ash and slag consumption rate.
Not only signing consumption contracts, EVNGENCO1 carefully controls the transportation, storage and use of ash, slag and fly ash of its partners. All ash and slag consuming partners must ensure safety for people, equipment, vehicles, and comply with environmental protection and construction materials management regulation, etc.
For example, at Uong Bi Thermal Power Company, fly ash is partly collected through closed slag pipes to the slag disposal site, partly discharged from silo through flexible pipes to specialized tank trucks, without affecting the surrounding area. At Duyen Hai Thermal Power Company, the Company organized a conference for ash and slag consumers, announced the results of ash and slag analysis, and certificates of standard and regulation conformity; solution to consume fly ash by pipeline to transport fly ash to FO Oil Port (received by sea), etc.
Along with effectively treating and consuming ash and slag created during the power generation process, "greening" slag dumps to minimize impacts on the surrounding environment has been paid much attention to by thermal power plants under EVNGENCO1. The power plants have planted casuarina trees around ash and slag disposal areas; building a high dike around to create an isolated area, not affecting the environment; released fish and shrimp in slag lakes, creating an ecosystem.