On September 21, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave opinions on the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Electricity Law.
Presenting the Government's report, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Viet Son said that the draft Law includes 3 articles.
Regarding the electricity price mechanism, the Government proposes to supplement regulations on the application of retail electricity prices during peak hours, off-peak hours and normal hours for residential customers when technical conditions permit.
The draft Law supplements the authority of the Minister of Industry and Trade to approve the wholesale electricity price framework; supplements a transitional clause on the Retail Electricity Price Structure for tourist accommodation establishments.
At the same time, the draft Law closely follows the direction of eliminating cross-subsidy electricity prices between customer groups in Resolution 70 of the Politburo (on ensuring national energy security to 2030, vision to 2045) in the direction of building a "roadmap for eliminating cross-subsidy electricity prices".
Regarding electricity service prices, according to leaders of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the draft Law clarifies the electricity purchase and sale contract prices for some types of power sources; amends and supplements the electricity price support mechanism or investment incentive mechanism suitable for renewable energy and new energy power projects...
The draft Law also stipulates the method of determining the price of power generation services, the price of capacity, reasonable profit margin, the price application period and the price adjustment mechanism for each type of power source, mixed power source and power storage system implemented according to the Government's regulations.
At the same time, clarify the components that make up electricity service prices to suit reality, including the non-state economic sector investing in the construction of transmission lines...
Expressing the viewpoint of the thẩm tra agency, Member of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment Nguyen Thanh Hai said that the Standing Committee basically agrees with the principle that electricity prices reflect reasonable and valid costs, creating conditions to mobilize investment resources, gradually eliminate cross-subsidy and develop a competitive electricity market.
However, the regulation as in the draft Law on electricity purchase and sale contract prices must "ensure full recovery" of costs, investment capital and reasonable profits can be understood as the State ensuring financial results for investors.
Therefore, Ms. Nguyen Thanh Hai proposed to clearly state that electricity prices are formed on the basis of reasonable and valid costs, investment efficiency, risk level and market conditions; not to transfer all investment and business risks to the State, electricity buyers or electricity users.
According to the Standing Committee of the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment's viewpoint, determining electricity prices and the term of electricity purchase and sale contracts according to the bid dossier of the winning investor may contribute to limiting renegotiation after bidding, shortening investment preparation time and improving transparency.
Regarding the regulation that when electricity selling prices have not been adjusted in time to ensure macroeconomic stability and social security, the State has a reasonable cost compensation mechanism, the appraisal agency proposes to clarify the source, method, time of confirmation and cost handling, avoiding the tacit understanding of arising obligations of the state budget.
