PM urges swift resolution of issues facing renewable energy projects

PM urges swift resolution of issues facing renewable energy projects

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed ministries, localities, and Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) to resolve remaining issues facing wind and solar power projects.

The PM sent an official dispatch on July 22 to the ministers of agriculture and environment, industry and trade, and construction, along with the Government Inspector General, people's committees nationwide, and EVN's chairman and general director.

In the dispatch, Chinh said that relevant authorities had been slow to handle the backlog, and some had not fulfilled their responsibilities.

The PM requested the remaining problems in wind and solar power projects be resolved. This task must be completed and reported on before July 25.

Lam Dong, Binh Thuan, and Dak Nong provinces must resolve problems with renewable energy projects that overlap with the mining of titanium and bauxite.

Similarly, Dong Nai, Lam Dong, Khanh Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, and Dak Lak (after the provincial merger on July 1) must handle issues related to land procedures, like increasing the area of use, leasing procedures, and changing the purpose of 40 projects under direction from the Government Inspectorate.

EVN has been instructed to unify electricity purchase and sale prices for large-scale rooftop solar power projects on agricultural and forestry land. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has been assigned to propose solutions to the preferential electricity purchase price (also known as a feed-in tariff) mechanism for wind and solar power projects.

According to the conclusion reached by the Government Inspectorate at the end of 2023, renewable energy projects had been granted commercial operation dates (COD) before approval by authorities. A report by the MoIT pointed out 173 grid-connected solar and wind power plants encountering this issue.

The government agreed to remove difficulties for renewable power projects in November 2024. However, EVN and project developers have not yet agreed on a solution. Since the beginning of 2025, a group of domestic and foreign investors owning more than 44 renewable energy projects, and energy associations, have twice submitted comments and recommendations to the government, reflecting on the difficulties in determining COD and purchasing prices.

Last December, the government issued a resolution to remove all obstacles facing renewable energy projects. The government has also assigned the MoIT to study and carefully review renewable energy projects, ensuring that there is no negativity, group interests, or waste.

VIR