Proposal for State monopoly on nuclear power investment

The draft Law on Electricity (amended) proposes that the State has a monopoly in investing in the construction of nuclear power plant projects, in order to ensure national energy security.

On the afternoon of October 21, on behalf of the Government, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien presented to the National Assembly the draft Law on Electricity (amended).

One of the new points mentioned in this draft is the policies on nuclear power development.

Đề xuất Nhà nước độc quyền đầu tư điện hạt nhân — Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien

Nuclear power monopoly to ensure energy security

According to the draft, the Government proposes that the State has a monopoly in investing in the construction of nuclear power plant projects. The reason is to ensure national energy security.

The draft also stipulates that investment in construction, operation and decommissioning, as well as ensuring the safety of nuclear power plants must comply with the provisions of the Law on Atomic Energy and related regulations.

Nuclear power projects must use modern, verified technology to ensure the highest safety. In addition, depending on the economic and social situation of each period, the draft law stipulates that the Prime Minister will prescribe specific mechanisms to implement investment, construction and operation of nuclear power plants.

Planning for this type of power source is an integral and synchronous part of the national power development plan, to ensure the goal of power supply security.

In addition to nuclear power, the draft also proposes that the State maintain a monopoly on investment in multi-purpose hydropower plants and power source and grid projects from 220 kV and above, emergency power sources and grids; transmission grid operation (except for grids invested and built by private individuals) and power system dispatch.

Reviewing the above content, the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment believes that the policy on nuclear power development is a new issue raised in the draft law. Therefore, this agency requests the drafting agency to report to the competent authority to consider and decide on the regulation of this content and the level of regulation in the draft law on nuclear power development.

Along with that, the draft's content that the Prime Minister stipulates a special mechanism to ensure the implementation of investment in construction and operation of nuclear power plants is not appropriate in terms of authority, according to the Law on Government Organization and the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents. Therefore, the drafting agency needs to study and make appropriate adjustments.

The auditing agency also said that there are opinions that it is necessary to review and clarify regulations related to fields where the State has exclusive investment. Accordingly, only regulations on contents that are really necessary to ensure energy security, create a mechanism to attract socialization, facilitate the mobilization of investors, reduce public investment, increase feasibility and make state management more effective.

Electricity prices ensure publicity, transparency and equality

In this amendment, the draft Electricity Law also stipulates electricity prices according to market mechanisms with State regulation, to ensure encouragement of economical electricity use.

The electricity price structure is restructured reasonably, gradually reducing and moving towards eliminating cross-subsidies between customer groups and regions, specifically between household and production electricity.

Electricity prices ensure publicity, transparency and equality, without discrimination between electricity units, ensuring the right to self-determination of buying and selling prices within the price framework and price structure prescribed by the State.

The Committee for Science, Technology and Environment, when reviewing, basically agreed with the electricity development policies in the draft. However, the reviewing agency requested clarification on the concretization of policies such as ensuring feasibility in implementation, especially the contents on electricity prices and the elimination of cross-subsidies.

At the same time, supplement policies related to environmental protection, climate change response, human resource development, application, and development of energy science and technology.

According to the auditing agency, although the Ministry of Industry and Trade has issued an explanatory report, some issues have not been clarified. For example, regarding electricity prices, there are no regulations or principles to clarify the components of electricity prices, including support for policy beneficiaries, remote areas, etc.

In the immediate future, these expenses will continue to be included in the electricity price, but they need to be specifically separated and have a long-term roadmap to move towards spending on these expenses from the state budget or other financial sources in accordance with the provisions of law.

The Government also needs to be more specific in its policies on reforming electricity prices in an appropriate manner, aiming to promote a competitive electricity market and review regulations on electricity prices...

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/de-xuat-nha-nuoc-doc-quyen-dau-tu-dien-hat-nhan-185241021144637176.htm