Proposal to calculate electricity prices by time frame: Ministry of Industry and Trade responds

(Dan Tri) - Voters in Dong Nai province have proposed to consider calculating household electricity prices based on operating hours. However, the Ministry of Industry and Trade believes that the step-by-step method is still appropriate and encourages electricity saving.

Before the 9th session of the 15th National Assembly, Dong Nai voters proposed to change the method of calculating household electricity prices from a ladder to calculating according to peak and off-peak hours to ensure people's rights. Regarding the above proposal, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said that electricity is a special commodity, production and consumption take place simultaneously, and storing electricity is expensive.

When mobilizing electricity generation, the management agency said the electricity industry will mobilize power plants with lower prices to generate electricity first until it meets the electricity needs of customers.

The Ministry cited that currently many countries in the world or in the region such as Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines... all apply electricity prices according to steps similar to Vietnam to encourage the use of electricity economically and effectively.

According to the management agency, household electricity prices are divided into many levels, the more the level is used, the higher the price. This calculation method is to encourage people to save electricity and has been applied in many countries around the world, not just Vietnam.

The Ministry stated that the practical application over the past years shows that applying household electricity prices in levels is simple and achieves the goal of encouraging efficient and economical use of electricity.

Electricity workers check and maintain (Photo: EVN).

The management agency also cited the provisions of the Electricity Law 2024, according to which the retail price of electricity according to peak, off-peak, and normal hours only applies to qualified customers. For households using electricity for daily life but not qualified to participate or not participating in the competitive electricity market, the method of calculating the price in increasing steps still applies.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade affirms that according to this provision of the Electricity Law, depending on the development level of the electricity market, an appropriate electricity price mechanism will be applied to household customers.

According to the decision regulating the structure of retail electricity prices, the retail price of household electricity will be adjusted down from 6 levels to 5 levels. This decision will be applied from the date of adjustment of the average retail electricity price nearest to the effective date of this decision, which is May 29.

Accordingly, the electricity price of levels 1-5 is calculated at 90-180% of the current average retail electricity price (2,204.06 VND/kWh, excluding VAT). The lowest price is about 1,984 VND/kWh and the highest is 3,967 VND/kWh, excluding VAT.

Specifically, the electricity price of level 1 (0-100kWh) is 1,984 VND/kWh; level 2 (101-200kWh) is 2,380 VND/kWh; level 3 (201-400kWh) is 2,998 VND/kWh; level 4 (401-700kWh) is 3,571 VND/kWh; level 5 (701kWh or more) is at 3,967 VND/kWh.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/de-xuat-tinh-gia-dien-theo-khung-gio-bo-cong-thuong-phan-hoi-20250908140404651.htm