The Vietnamese authorities have approved a new price framework for importing renewable energy from Laos, with base import prices for wind and hydropower set to take effect at the end of 2025.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has approved a new price framework for importing electricity from Laos to Vietnam.
The updated bill, agreed upon on this week, sets a maximum price of $0.0678/kWh for electricity imported from hydropower plants and $0.0640/kWh for wind power. Both prices are down from the current rate of $0.0695/kWh and lower than retail prices set by state-owned utility Vietnam Electricity Group (VND).
The new price range will apply to plants operating commercially from Dec. 31, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2030.
VND said it will use the new framework to negotiate electricity purchases and sales with power generation units. It has also been tasked with monitoring price fluctuations and reporting back to the ministry.
Vietnam has been importing electricity from Laos since 2016. Solar power currently does not feature in Vietnam’s bill permitting energy imports from its neighbor.
In September, the Vietnamese government announced plans to introduce a new net-metering scheme for rooftop PV installations. By the end of last year, Vietnam had installed more than 17 GW of solar.