On April 16, 2020, in effort to mitigate the adverse impact of Covid-19 pandemic, Minister of Industry and Trade issued Official Dispatch No. 2698/BCT-DTDL to Departments of Industry and Trade and the Vietnam Electricity regarding the discount of electricity tariffs and bills for Covid-19-stricken consumers
Accordingly, the discount of electricity tariffs shall apply to:
- Manufacture and Business sector: will be entitled to 10% discount on electricity retail prices at peak, normal and off-peak price periods.
- Tourist accommodation establishments: Retail rates for industrial customers will apply to tourist accommodation establishments (according to the 2017’s Law on Tourism and relevant laws) instead of commercial rates.
- Household consumers: 10% reduction will apply to retail rates of level 1 to 4 for residential customers in Decision No. 648/QDBCT.
- Wholesale of electricity
- 10% reduction will apply to residential rates of level 1 to 4;
- Wholesale rates in rural areas, dormitories or residential clusters; wholesale rates for commercial-residential complexes: 10% reduction will apply to wholesaling of electricity for other purposes.
- Wholesale rates for industrial zones and markets: 10% reduction will apply to the wholesaling tariff.
At the same time, the Official Dispatch precribes direct discount on electricity bills for Covid-19 pandemic prevention and control units which purchase electricity from EVN, specifically as follows:
- Quarantine facilities other than hotels, treatment facilities for suspected cases and confirmed cases of Covid19 will be entitled to 100% decreases of electricity bill.
- Health facilities where suspected cases and confirmed cases of Covid19are examined, tested and treated will be entitled to 20% decreases of electricity bill.
- Hotels that are used for quarantine of suspected cases and confirmed cases of Covid19 will be entitled to 20% decreases of electricity bill.
Official Dispatch no. 2698/BCT-DTDL also stipulates the discount period is three (03) months, equivalent to consumption costs incurred in April, May and June as for domestic electricity and consumption costs will be shown in the latest electricity bill from April 16 this year as for non-domestic electricity. After that, electricity price by Decision no. 648/QD-BCT will continue to apply.
Official Dispatch no. 2698/BCT-DTĐL shows the great efforts of the authorities in supporting the businesses, people, facilities in preventing and controlling Covid-19, etc. in economic recession due to Covid-19 pandemic.