Work commences on second waste-to-energy plant in Ho Chi Minh City

Tam Sinh Nghia Company kicked off on October 16 construction of a waste-to-energy plant in Ho Chi Minh City, which can process 2,000 tonnes of waste per day and has a generation capacity of 40 megawatts.

The ceremony to commence construction of the Tam Sinh Nghia waste-to-energy plant (Photo: VNA)
The ceremony to commence construction of the Tam Sinh Nghia waste-to-energy plant (Photo: VNA)

With a total cost of VND5 trillion (US$215 million), it is the second plant in Ho Chi Minh City to use the technology to convert waste into electricity, after a US$400 million plant invested in by Vietstar which has a capacity of 2,000 tonnes per day in the first phase.

The 8-hectare facility is located at the Northwest Solid Waste Treatment Complex in Cu Chi district.

Tam Sinh Nghia Chairman Ngo Xuan Tiec said the plant employs a German technology that is being used in over 40 countries around the world and boasts a closed process from waste reception to final discharge.

The technology does not emit bad smells and is highly appropriate with unclassified waste in Vietnam.

The company plans to increase the plant’s daily waste processing capacity to 5,000 tonnes of waste after the first phase enters stable operations. The construction time is scheduled for 18 months with an additional 4 months for trial and adjustment.

According to HCMC Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong, dumping waste at landfill sites is no longer suitable and is replaced by the waste-to-energy technology, which can process 90-95% of the waste, eliminate smells and water pollution, generate power and economise on land use.

He stated that the city discharges over 9,000 tonnes of household waste daily and is planning to build more waste-to-energy plants to raise the total treatment capacity using this method to 7,000 tonnes per day.