The plant includes two 300 MW turbines which will generate 3.6 billion kWh of electricity per year.
85% of the US$1.2 billion investment for the project is sourced from the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) with the remaining 15% from Electricity of Vietnam (EVN).
An Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract worth over US$1 billion was signed in late 2013 between EVN and a Japanese contractor, Marubeni Corporation, to build the plant.
Completion of the first turbine of the plant is scheduled for 2017 and the second in the second quarter of 2018. The turbines will use around 1.5 million tonnes of coal per year transported from Quang Ninh province.
Addressing the ceremony, Deputy PM Hai spoke of the importance of the thermal project; the largest ever project in Thai Binh province, saying that it will help ensure national energy as well as boost socio-economic development in the province and region.
He also asked the local authorities to implement carefully the residential resettlement programmes, supporting the locals affected by the project.
