Under Directive No 01/CT-TTg dated January 18, the prime minister said reliable power supply would be critical as 2026 marked the first year of implementing resolutions of the 14th National Party Congress and the 2026–30 socio-economic development plan. The year will also feature major political events, including Party congress activities and elections to the 16th National Assembly.
“Sufficient power supply is mandatory, with no exceptions,” he said, assigning responsibility to ministers, provincial leaders and major state-owned energy groups, including Vietnam Electricity (EVN), Vietnam National Industry-Energy Group (PVN), Vietnam Coal and Mineral Industries Group (TKV) and Dong Bac Corporation.
The directive described ensuring electricity supply to support socio-economic development in 2026-30, while safeguarding national energy security amid digital transformation and high-tech development, as a particularly important political task.
Authorities were told to mobilise all available resources, accelerate power generation and transmission projects, and prevent delays caused by administrative procedures.
In 2026, as rising demand and weather risks continue to strain the system, the focus will be on removing bottlenecks in system operations and the electricity market, while accelerating projects to ensure they come online on schedule.
Priority will be given to strengthening supply in the northern region, including expanding key substations and transmission lines, increasing power imports from Laos and China, and bringing several hydropower and thermal power plants into operation.
The directive also calls for stepped-up electricity-saving measures, closer supervision of fuel supplies for thermal power plants, and tighter coordination with the national system and market operator to forecast demand and secure adequate coal, gas and oil supplies.
For the 2027-30 period, the government plans to push ahead with major projects, including LNG-fired power plants, hydropower expansion and offshore wind developments, aiming to bring some projects online one to two years ahead of schedule.
Preparations for the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plants will also be accelerated, with a focus on removing administrative and legal bottlenecks.
Competitive and transparent market
Developing a competitive and transparent power market is seen as critical to ensuring national energy security and supporting green transition goals.
To support GDP growth of 10 per cent or more in 2026-30, electricity demand is estimated to rise by at least 12-13 per cent over the period, and possibly above 15 per cent as energy-intensive digitalisation and artificial intelligence expand, placing heavy pressure on the system.
Nguyen Quang Huan, a member of the National Assembly’s committee on science, technology and environment, said a lack of transparency and effective competition would undermine investment, efficiency and long-term energy security.
Nguyen Quoc Lap, president of the Vietnam Petroleum Association, said pricing mechanisms must allow electricity prices to fully reflect costs, alongside efforts to build a genuinely competitive market. He added that policy delays and an unstable legal framework were among the biggest bottlenecks, discouraging long-term investment.
Ho Dinh Tham, an adviser at the Electricity Authority of Vietnam under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said the electricity market must become the central pillar of the energy supply chain, linking planning and investment with operations, generation and retail supply.
He called for the early development of a multi-buyer, multi-seller power market in line with the law on electricity, greater participation by buyers and generators, and a gradual move towards pricing based on supply and demand.