Selling electricity at a price higher than regulations, Electricity Company fined up to 60 million VND

Legal Consulting Office of Lao Dong Newspaper answers:

Clause 4, Article 12, Decree 133/2026/ND-CP Regulating penalties for administrative violations in the field of electricity (effective from May 25, 2026), stipulates as follows: Fines for organizations that are retail electricity units from 50 million VND to 60 million VND for one of the following violations:

a) Selling electricity at the wrong price regulated by competent state agencies;

b) Concluding an electricity purchase and sale contract when the electricity buyer does not ensure one of the prescribed conditions.

Point b, Clause 7, Article 12 of Decree 133/2026/ND-CP stipulates: Forcing the return of illegal profits obtained from selling at a price higher than the prescribed price (including all costs incurred due to violations) to return to individuals and organizations that have been appropriated for violations specified in point a, Clause 4 of this Article. Electricity retailers must return to organizations and individuals the amount of electricity collected in excess plus interest agreed upon by the two parties in the contract. In case the time of applying the wrong price is not clearly determined, it is calculated with a time of 12 months. In case the individual or organization cannot be identified to return, the entire difference due to selling at a price higher than the prescribed price shall be deposited into the state budget.

Thus, from May 25, 2026, electricity companies selling electricity at prices higher than regulations will be fined up to 60 million VND and forced to return to electricity buyers the amount collected in excess plus interest agreed by the two parties in the contract.