VnExpress reports that National Assembly deputies debated on 3 November a Government proposal to allow time-of-use electricity prices for households, with several raising concerns about the effect on low-income families. The proposal is part of a draft law amending several articles of the Electricity Law, which the Assembly plans to vote on on 20 November. Nothing has changed for household bills yet.
What is proposed
According to the report, the draft would let retail prices vary by peak, off-peak and normal hours for residential customers "when technical conditions allow". The Government also proposes adding an implementation roadmap to the article on electricity pricing, plus a roadmap to end cross-subsidies between customer groups or a mechanism for the State to cover reasonable costs if prices are not adjusted in time.
Time-of-use pricing currently applies mainly to production and business customers. Households remain on the six-tier progressive tariff, and the report gives no price figures and no effective date.
Hours already set
VnExpress says an April regulation defined peak hours as 17:30 to 22:30 on weekdays and off-peak hours as 00:00 to 06:00 every day. That regulation has not yet been applied to households. The report does not specify the normal hours.
In June, the report adds, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said technical conditions were not yet sufficient to apply household time-of-use pricing.
Deputies' concerns
Bùi Văn Dũng, a standing member of the Economic and Finance Committee, said the approach could shift consumption and ease pressure on the grid, but that families may struggle to adapt. He proposed a pilot with an impact assessment by household group, public disclosure of the calculation method and a comparison of two sample bills.
Dương Khắc Mai, deputy head of the Lâm Đồng delegation, backed the direction but warned of added burdens without clear technical criteria and cost transparency. Lê Thị Ngọc Linh of the Committee for Deputies' Affairs said the bill leaves unclear the principles, criteria and funding responsibility for removing cross-subsidies, and asked for assessments covering poor, near-poor, policy-beneficiary and remote-area households.
The minister's response
Minister of Industry and Trade Lê Mạnh Hùng said the Prime Minister would set the cross-subsidy roadmap after a full impact assessment. He said each customer group and region must be assessed carefully.
For residents, including renters who pay by the electricity meter, the practical point is that no household tariff change takes effect until the law passes and the authorities set the details. The vote is scheduled for 20 November.
Sources
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