Soc Son waste-to-energy plant hooks up to national grid

The Soc Son waste-to-energy (WTE) plant, located at the Nam Son Waste Treatment Complex in Hanoi, was connected to the national grid on July 25. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Soc Son waste-to-energy (WTE) plant, located at the Nam Son Waste Treatment Complex in Hanoi, was connected to the national grid on July 25.

Nguyen Thi Hong Van, general director of market development in Southeast Asia for Thien Y Environmental Energy JSC, the project’s investor, said from now until the end of September, the plant will operate an incinerator with a capacity of handling 800 tonnes of waste daily. It can produce 15MW of electricity for the grid per hour.

The company is finalising procedures to complete the second and third phases of four incinerators. It is expected that all five incinerators will be put into operation this year.

The Soc Son waste-to-energy project was approved by Hanoi’s authorities in late 2017 with a total investment of 7 trillion VND (303 million USD).

Once completed, it will be the largest in Vietnam with a capacity of handling 4,000 tons of dry solid waste per day. The plant is expected to generate up to 75MW of electricity per hour.

According to the Hanoi Department of Construction, the city currently discharges 6,500-7,000 tonnes of waste every day.

In addition to the Nam Son Waste Treatment Complex, there is another waste treatment complex in Son Tay district but they are overloaded. As a result, trash piled up around the city in May and June this year when the complexes encountered problems.

According to the city's master plan for 2030 with a vision to 2050, Hanoi will have 17 waste treatment zones. However, many have been delayed due to obstacles relating to site clearance./.