Vietnam adopts new decree to overhaul retail electricity price adjustments

The Vietnamese Government issued Decree No. 278/2026/ND-CP, effective 9 July 2026, amending Decree 72/2025 on the mechanism and timing of retail electricity price adjustments. The decree requires the Vietnam Electricity Corporation (EVN) to calculate the average retail price each year using the supply plan, EVN’s actual production costs from the two preceding years and projected costs for the prior year.

If the calculated price falls by less than 1 % or rises by less than 2 %, EVN must report the result to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) and take no action. For a decrease of 1 % or more, or an increase between 2 % and 5 %, EVN must submit a price‑adjustment plan to the MOIT, which must issue a written opinion within 15 working days. After receiving the opinion, EVN can adjust the price and must report the change to the MOIT within 5 working days.

The decree also introduces quarterly price reviews, tighter supervision of EVN’s cost reporting, mandatory submission of actual cost data by 30 June each year, and the possibility for the MOIT to hire independent consultants to audit these costs. Audit results are to be published on the MOIT’s website, and the ministry may order EVN to correct any pricing errors within five days.