State utility EVN suffers huge losses from renewable energy licensing violations

Violations in granting electricity operation licenses and accepting commercial operation dates for a number of solar power projects have caused damage worth hundreds of billions of VND (VND100 billion = $4.04 million) to state utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN).

The information was released by Phan Thanh Ba, deputy director of the Ministry of Public Security’s investigative security department (A09), at a press conference on Tuesday.

Initial investigation results showed that the accused committed violations in proposing the Prime Minister promulgate regulations on types of projects and conditions to enjoy preferential electricity selling price policies that were contrary to the government's resolutions and directions, he said.

The case has been included in the list under the monitoring of the Central Steering Committee for Prevention and Control of Corruption and Wrongdoings, he added.

According to the Ministry of Public Security representative, this is a very complicated case that occurred on a large scale and over a long period of time, and involved many ministries, agencies, localities and businesses.

To date, the ministry’s investigative agency has launched legal proceedings against eight individuals for abusing their positions and power while on duty.

In January 2024, the investigative agency detained Hoang Quoc Vuong, former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, on the above charge.

Vuong, 61, served as EVN board chairman from September 2012 to 2015, before he became a deputy trade minister. In November 2020, he was appointed board chairman of state-owned Petrovietnam and retired on January 1, 2024, one day before his arrest.

Others arrested are Nguyen Danh Son, director of the Electricity Trading Company and his three subordinates Nguyen Huu Khai, Do Ngoc Tuyen and Truong Hoang Dung; Tran Quoc Hung, deputy head of the public relations and licensing department under the trade ministry's Electricity Regulatory Authority; and Trinh Van Doan, an officer at the department.