Vietnam will reduce electricity costs for the third time for customers involving in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

EVN's workers check the electric meter. Photo: Manh Khanh/VNA

The support targets facilities that are in charge of quarantining, testing, or treating people affected by Covid-19, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s proposal submitted to the government.

Under which, the assistance includes exemption of electricity bill for organizations whose premises have been used for centralized quarantine and checkup of suspected and confirmed Covid-19 people; and electricity bill discount for lodgings.

“The MoIT will direct the Vietnam Electricity (EVN) to take a number of solutions together, including saving regular spending and non-urgent expenses in its affiliates, so as not to put pressure on electricity prices in the following years,” Nguyen Anh Tuan, head of the Electricity Regulatory Authority, MoIT, told local media.

The two previous power price cuts took place from April to July and between October and December, 2020. The two support packages are said to cost EVN (the sole power distributor) a total of VND12.3 trillion (US$530 million).

Currently, the average electricity price in Vietnam is VND1,864 (8.1 US cent)/kWh.

In comparison with regional countries, the electricity price for household use in Vietnam is 9.67 US cent/kWh compared to 9.34 US cent in Malaysia, 11 US cent in Indonesia, 12.7 US cent in Thailand, 15.6 US cent in the Philippines, and 16.73 US cent in Singapore.