Vietnamese PM orders stable electricity, gasoline supplies

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed a dispatch requesting the effective implementation of solutions to ensure electricity and gasoline supplies.

Recent supplies of electricity and gasoline have been inadequate in certain areas, including electricity shortages in the northern region at the end of the 2023 dry season (June-July) and gasoline shortages in various localities at the end of 2022.

Therefore, the government leader requested the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), the Commission for Management of State Capital at Enterprises (CMSC), Vietnam Electricity (EVN), Petrovietnam, and mining group Vinacomin to focus on implementing soultions to tackle the issues.

The MoIT was asked to urgently complete a plan to ensure electricity supplies for production, business and daily activities in the last months of 2023 and start of 2024, and report back to the Prime Minister before September 15.

The ministry must also prepare for component projects under the 500 kV transmission line from Quang Trach district, Quang Binh province to Pho Noi in Hung Yen province in accordance with regulations so that work can begin this month. During the implementation process, it is a must to prevent corruption and negative phenomena.

"The ministry must urgently complete and submit to competent authorities mechanisms to encourage the development of self-produced and self-consumed rooftop solar power and direct power purchase agreements (DPPA) and report to the Prime Minister before September 15," the dispatch said.

PM Chinh also requested the CMSC to direct EVN, Vinacomin, and Petrovietnam to deploy assigned power project investment projects as quickly as possible, contributing to socio-economic development, improving the efficiency of capital use by the enterprises, and ensuring energy security.

The three state-owned groups were asked to strengthen coordination and well implement power purchase contracts as well ass coal and gas supply agreements for the benefit of the nation and people.

Regarding gasoline supplies, the Prime Minister requested the MoIT to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance, the CSMC, Petrovietnam, Petrolimex and related agencies to take proactive measures to balance supply and demand, ensuring sufficient supplies for business production and daily life in any situation.

The MoIT should team up with the CSMC, Petrovietnam and relevant agencies to determine the output of domestic petroleum producers as a basis for balancing gasoline imports in order to avoid any interruptions in supplies to the domestic market.

It must coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and relevant agencies to closely monitor developments in the world gasoline market and domestic petroleum production and trading to regulate prices and use the Price Stabilization Fund in an appropriate, timely and effective manner in line with regulations.

In the dispatch, the PM also asked competent forces to strengthen inspection and supervision to promptly detect and strictly handle violations in gasoline trading activities, ensuring the stable and healthy development of the domestic petroleum market.