Regulations on procedures for suspension and reduction of electricity supply in cases of force majeure events or incidents in Vietnam

Regulations on procedures for suspension and reduction of electricity supply in cases of force majeure events or incidents in Vietnam​ (Image from the internet)

The Minister of Industry and Trade issued Circular 04/2025/TT-BCT dated February 1, 2025, regulating the procedure to suspend, reduce electricity supply.

Regulations on procedures for suspension and reduction of electricity supply in cases of force majeure events or incidents in Vietnam

Article 9 of Circular 04/2025/TT-BCT provides for the procedure to suspend, reduce electricity supply in the event of a force majeure or an incident that the electricity seller cannot control, thereby posing a serious safety risk to people, equipment, or due to a power shortage threatening the safety of the power system as follows:

When one of the cases specified in Article 6 of this Circular occurs, the electricity seller has the right to suspend, reduce electricity supply, followed by performing the following tasks:

(1) Identify the cause, the scope of impact, the expected time to resume electricity supply.

(2) Notify the electricity buyer by the method of notification agreed upon by both parties in the electricity sale contract, including the contents specified in (1) within 24 hours from the time of suspending or reducing electricity supply when a force majeure event or uncontrolled incident occurs posing a serious safety risk to people, equipment, or due to a power shortage threatening the safety of the power system.

(3) The electricity seller must fully record the time, cause, and procedure of operation to suspend or reduce electricity supply into the work log or operation log.

(4) In cases of suspension or reduction of electricity supply due to the power system lacking an energy source leading to a threat to ensure the balance of supply and demand of the power system, the electricity seller must ensure to cut or reduce the correct amount of load capacity calculated and allocated under the regulations on formulating and implementing the electricity supply plan when the national power system lacks power as stipulated in Appendix I of Circular 04/2025/TT-BCT.

(5) Coordinate with relevant parties to promptly rectify the causes leading to the suspension or reduction of electricity supply to resume electricity in the shortest time possible.

Regulations on cases to suspend, reduce electricity supply in force majeure events, or incidents in Vietnam that the electricity seller cannot control

The electricity seller may suspend or reduce electricity supply in the event of force majeure or incidents that the seller cannot control, posing a serious safety risk to people, equipment, or due to a power shortage threatening the safety of the power system. Specifically:

(1) An incident occurs on the power grid supplying the electricity buyer; incidents in the power system resulting in power loss that the seller cannot control.

(2) There is a risk of causing an incident or serious safety risk to people, equipment, and the power system.

(3) A power shortage threatens the assurance of the safety of the power supply-demand balance of the power system.

(4) A force majeure event occurs.

(Article 6 of Circular 04/2025/TT-BCT)

Regulations on the content of the notification to suspend, reduce electricity supply in Vietnam

According to Article 4 of Circular 04/2025/TT-BCT, regulations on the notification to suspend, reduce electricity supply are as follows:

- In all cases of suspension or reduction of electricity supply, the electricity seller must notify the buyer in advance, except as specified in Article 6 of Circular 04/2025/TT-BCT.

- The content of the notification to suspend, reduce electricity supply includes:

+ Location of suspension, reduction of electricity supply; the capacity reduction level or maximum supply ability in case of reduced electricity supply;

+ The reason for the suspension, reduction of electricity supply;

+ The start time of suspension, reduction of electricity supply;

+ The estimated time to resume electricity supply or ensure normal electricity supply.

- The person from the electricity seller’s side signing the notification to suspend or reduce electricity supply must be one of the following people:

+ The legal representative or authorized representative of the electricity seller;

+ The person holding a position authorized to sign the notification to suspend, reduce electricity supply as agreed by both parties in the electricity sales contract.

- The notification to suspend or reduce electricity supply is executed in the manner agreed upon by both parties and stated in the electricity sales contract.

More details can be found in Circular 04/2025/TT-BCT, which comes into effect from February 1, 2025.

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