Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has halted work on a proposed US$10.6-billion steel plant in Ninh Thuan province over environmental concerns.
VnExpress reports that a statement from the central government ordered any progress on the Ca Na steel plant to be stopped. The trade ministry had vouched for the plant, but Phuc ordered further environmental impact studies and called preparations for the plant too "hasty," according to the news source.
Phuc also asked for the involved parties to look into domestic and overseas steel demand, in addition to determining the available infrastructure in order to settle on the timeframe and scale of the project.
Last year's Formosa disaster loomed in the decision as well, VnExpress shares. "This project was proposed following the Formosa scandal and is very sensitive," the PM said. The Ca Na mill may still be approved if further studies show it is viable.
[Photo via Fonderiazardo]
