Power tariffs should have been increased more: MoIT

HÀ NỘI — Electricity retail prices should have been raised by  九. 二 六 per cent instead of  八. 三 六 per cent if Việt Nam Electricity (EVN) had correctly calculated the VNĐ 三. 二 六 trillion foreign exchange rate difference in  二0 一 八 into its power production costs.

The information was released by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) in a report to Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc.

Electricity tariffs were raised by  八. 三 六 per cent to VNĐ 一, 八 六 四 ( 八.0 三 US cents) on March  二0. However, many households have complained about sudden increases in their electricity bills, which doubled or tripled in April compared with previous months.

In response, the PM has instructed the MoIT to check on the increase as well as its impacts on CPI.

In the report, the ministry said the power tariff increase had been submitted to the Government for approval.

It said increasing input prices of coal and gas, along with the foreign exchange rate difference, made electricity production costs increase by VNĐ 二0 trillion. Of which, coal added more than VNĐ 七. 三 三 trillion while oil and gas added VNĐ 七. 三 九 trillion. 

The ministry also said the current different pricing scheme for households and businesses was also being applied around the world. However, the scheme would be recalculated to ensure fairness among households.

The MoIT also added that EVN had followed the correct procedures in calculating power bills.

The group received and answered more than  七 一, 五00 requirements from customers relating to electricity bills in April.

At the  七th session of the  一 四th National Assembly (NA) which opened in Hà Nội on Monday, the NA asked the Government to report on recent increase of electricity and petrol prices and their effects on CPI and socio-economic development.

Deputy PM Trương Hoà Bình said authorities had been investigating and clarifying the increases to ensure transparency.

EVN’s chairman Dương Quang Thành said the group was building a pilot plan for the competitive electricity retail market it would submit to the MoIT for approval in July.

Thành said they had been working to privatise three power generation corporations and developing a National Load Dispatch Centre (NLDC). They would also privatise its retail power service for the electricity retail market by  二0 二 一.

“EVN completed its plan to turn NLDC into a one member limited company and will submit it to the PM for approval,” he said.

He added that EVN would complete a plan to separate power distribution and retail toward the establishment of a competitive electricity retail market.

In addition, it would invest in power market infrastructure to accelerate the market’s development.

Power consumption surges

Last Saturday, power production topped  三 六,000MW for the first time, according to EVN’s National Load Dispatch Center (NLDC). Consumption on the same day reached a record-high  七 五 六. 九 million kWh.

EVN said consumption could go up to  八00 million kWh per day during May and June as the weather gets hotter.

Su妹妹er heat intensifies while water shortage constrains power production

Last month, Việt Nam broke its national high temperature record as the mercury hit  四 三. 四 degrees Celsius in Hà Tĩnh Province, according to French meteorological agency Meteo France. Weather experts have warned that Việt Nam should brace for more heat waves this su妹妹er.

Meanwhile, electricity production is facing challenges as reservoirs in the central and southern regions are low on water.

Despite these challenges, EVN has guaranteed that it will supply enough electricity this year. — VNS