Responsibility of Power Plants to Participate in the Electricity Market

1. Power plants with an electricity operation license in the field of electricity generation and with an installed capacity greater than 30 MW connected to the national power system, except for power plants as stipulated in Clause 3 Article 4 of Circular 28/2018/TT-BCT, are responsible for participating in the electricity market no later than 30 days from the date of commercial operation of the power plant.

2. Power plants with an installed capacity up to 30 MW, connected to the power grid with a voltage level of 110 kV or higher, except for power plants as stipulated in Clause 3 Article 4 of Circular 28/2018/TT-BCT, have the right to choose to participate in the electricity market. In case of choosing to participate in the electricity market, the power plant has the responsibility to:

- Prepare infrastructure as stipulated in Clause 5 Article 4 of Circular 28/2018/TT-BCT;- Complete and submit the application for market participation registration as stipulated in Article 5 of Circular 28/2018/TT-BCT;- Comply with the requirements for electricity generation units participating in the electricity market as stipulated in this Circular and related legal documents.

3. Power plants that do not participate in the electricity market include:

- BOT power plants;- Power plants using renewable energy except for hydroelectric power;- Gas turbine power plants bound to maximize the use of gas fuel to ensure national benefits;- Power plants within industrial zones that only sell part of their output to the national power system.

4. By November 01 of Year N-1, the electricity system and market operation unit is responsible for preparing and reporting to the Electricity Regulatory Authority the list of direct, indirect, and non-participating electricity generation units in accordance with Clause 3 Article 4 of Circular 28/2018/TT-BCT for Year N to announce to market participants.

5. Power plants participating in the electricity market are responsible for investing in and completing the system equipment to connect to the Electricity Market Information System (including: Bidding system, Dispatch Instruction Management System (DIM), Electricity Market Payment Support System, Internal Market Information Network System), SCADA/EMS system, and electricity metering system before the commercial operation date of the power plant to meet the operation requirements of the electricity system and market.

6. The sole wholesale purchaser has the responsibility to send to the system operation unit and the electricity market written information about the agreed commercial operation date of the power plant with the electricity generation unit.

7. By the 20th of month M when planning to bring the power plant into commercial operation in month M+1, the electricity generation unit is responsible for sending the necessary information (technical parameters, electricity prices...) to the system operation unit and the electricity market to calculate the operation plan for the next month and subsequent months of Year N.

8. In case the power plant meets the conditions but has not participated in the electricity market as stipulated in Clause 1 Article 4 of Circular 28/2018/TT-BCT or the power plant is suspended from market participation as stipulated in Article 8 of Circular 28/2018/TT-BCT:

- The system operation unit and the electricity market are responsible for mobilizing the power plant only in the following cases:- Ensuring downstream water as stipulated in the inter-reservoir operation procedure and single reservoir operation procedure or upon request of the competent authority (for hydroelectric plants);- Ensuring the security of the electricity system;- Preventing overflow discharge (for hydroelectric plants).- Payment for electricity to power plants during the period of non-market participation or suspension of market participation shall be made according to the agreement in the power purchase agreement with the sole wholesale purchaser in accordance with the operating status of the power plant.

See more related contents at: Circular 28/2018/TT-BCT effective from November 15, 2018.

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE