Deputy PM Orders Power Projects to Open 3-6 Months Early

Accelerating Power Projects under PDP8: Deputy PM Demands 3-6 Month Early Operation

The Deputy Prime Minister requires investors to accelerate power project progress, establish specific plans, commit to operating 3–6 months early, and strictly handle cases of delayed implementation.

The Government Office has just issued Notice No. 484/TB-VPCP conveying the conclusions of Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son at the national online conference reviewing the implementation of Decision No. 768/QD-TTg (dated April 15, 2025) on approving the Adjusted Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) and solutions to ensure electricity supply in the coming time.

Mandate: 3-6 Months Ahead of Schedule For projects with investors: The Deputy Prime Minister requires urgent acceleration to complete projects as directed in Directive No. 01/CT-TTg (dated January 3, 2025).

• Action Required: Investors must create plans and critical path schedules (“Gantt charts”) and send them to the People’s Committees of provinces and cities to report to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) for monitoring and urging.
• Target: MOIT and local authorities must supervise and require commitments to bring plants into operation 3–6 months earlier than scheduled, while ensuring quality.
• Penalty: Cases of delay or non-implementation will be strictly handled.

For projects without investors:

• MOIT directs localities to select investors according to the Adjusted PDP8, to be completed in Q4/2025.
• Localities must update the list of power sources and grids from PDP8 into provincial and specialized planning; arrange land funds; and organize investor selection according to authority, completing in Q4/2025.
• Accountability: MOIT and Provincial People’s Committees are fully responsible to the Government and Prime Minister for any delays.

Policy Deadlines: October 2025 The Deputy Prime Minister assigned specific deadlines for resolving bottlenecks:

• Administrative Procedures: MOIT to inspect, supervise, and handle obstacles to prevent congestion due to administrative procedures. Deadline: October 2025.
• New Mechanisms: MOIT must closely follow Resolution No. 70-NQ/TW to urgently finalize mechanisms for Direct Power Purchase Agreements (DPPA), renewable energy development, new energy, and self-produced/self-consumed electricity. Deadline: October 2025.
• Legal Review: The Ministry of Finance coordinates to review and amend regulations related to planning, investment policy approval, and bidding to attract investment. Deadline: October 2025.
• Offshore Wind: The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment presides over selecting units for surveys and assigning sea areas in accordance with laws on electricity and marine resources. Deadline: October 2025.

State Corporations and Nuclear Power Focus The Deputy Prime Minister requires Groups including Vietnam Electricity (EVN), Vietnam National Energy Group, Vietnam National Coal – Mineral Industries Group (TKV), and 19th Corps (Ministry of National Defense) to be more drastic in deploying assigned power source and grid projects.

• Nuclear Power: Special attention must be paid to the Ninh Thuan 1 and Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power projects.
• Fuel Supply: Corporations must ensure absolutely no shortage of fuel (coal, gas, oil) for thermal power and water for hydropower. TKV, PVN, and 19th Corps must ensure sufficient coal and gas supply according to the plan.
• Grid Safety: Proactively maintain and prepare spare materials/equipment for the grid system to minimize incidents.

Addressing Implementation Lags Reviews show that the progress of tasks in the Adjusted PDP8 is still slow compared to requirements. Obstacles focus on authority and implementation responsibility at localities, as local authorities do not yet clearly understand regulations on decentralization.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested MOIT to preside over and coordinate with relevant ministries to guide and train localities. For central agencies regarding nuclear power and offshore wind, relevant ministries must issue regulations according to their authority to guide implementation.