New regulations on payment of electricity bills

The Lao Dong Newspaper Legal Consulting Office replied:

Clause 1, Article 48 of the Electricity Law 2024 (effective from February 1, 2025) stipulates the payment of electricity bills according to electricity purchase contracts for customers using electricity for domestic purposes as follows:

a) Electricity bills are paid by the payment method agreed upon by both parties in the electricity sale and purchase contract; the electricity buyer who is late in paying the electricity bill must pay interest on the late payment amount to the electricity seller corresponding to the late payment period;

b) Interest rate for late payment agreed upon by the parties but not exceeding the interest rate prescribed by the law on civil matters;

c) The electricity seller collects excess electricity bills and must refund them to the electricity buyer, including the interest on the excess electricity fee or agree with the electricity buyer on compensation for the excess electricity fee in future electricity bill payments;

d) Interest rate for collecting excess electricity bills is determined according to the provisions of Point b of this Clause;

d) The electricity seller shall record the electricity measurement index every month 01 time on the fixed date, except in cases of force majeure that pose a risk to the safety of employees as prescribed in the electricity sale and purchase contract. Allowing the shift of the time of recording the power measurement index 01 day before or after the date of establishment or the shift according to the agreement in the power purchase contract.

Thus, from February 2025, the payment of electricity bills for living purposes is regulated as above.