HCMC – The Ministry of Industry and Trade has issued a clarification on the implementation of newly issued electricity pricing time frames, stating that the changes cannot take effect until the average retail electricity price is adjusted.
The clarification was sent by the Electricity Authority under the ministry to Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) and its subsidiaries following the issuance of Decision 963 dated April 22, which sets revised peak, off-peak and normal hours for the national power system.
According to the ministry, although Decision 963 introduces adjustments to time-of-use pricing periods, Circular 60 dated December 2, 2025 stipulates that such pricing mechanisms remain in effect only after the most recent adjustment of the average retail electricity price, in line with Decision 14/2025 issued by the prime minister, effective May 29, 2025.
As the average retail electricity price has not been revised since May 10, 2025, the current time frames remain applicable. The ministry said this ensures compliance with existing legal provisions governing retail electricity pricing.
The ministry is reviewing and revising relevant regulations to enable the implementation of the new time frames under Decision 963, targeting application during the dry season of 2026.
EVN has been instructed to direct its units to prepare for the transition, including disseminating information to electricity users, particularly those subject to time-of-use tariffs, and organizing training and technical preparations for updating metering systems.
Under Decision 963, peak hours are set from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on weekdays, with no peak hours on Sundays. Normal hours run from 6:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and from 10:30 p.m. to midnight, while off-peak hours are from midnight to 6:00 a.m. daily.
The revised time frames differ from current regulations, where peak hours are split between late morning and evening, and off-peak hours run overnight from 10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.
Time-of-use pricing applies to production and business customers, while administrative entities are charged based on voltage levels, and residential users follow tiered tariffs or prepaid metering.
