You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

October 13, 2020

Circular 21 Updates Procedures for Electricity Operating Licenses in Vietnam

Subscribe to Updates

On September 9, 2020, Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) issued Circular No. 21/2020/TT-BCT on the order and procedures for issuance of electricity operating licenses (Circular 21). Circular 21 will take effect on October 26, 2020, replacing Circular No. 36/2018/TT-BCT as amended by Circular No. 15/2019/TT-BCT (together, Circular 36).

The primary purpose of Circular 21 is to promulgate updated forms and templates for the power generation sector, including templates for the electricity operating licenses themselves, requests for granting or amending such licenses, and reports on the status of various electricity activities. One new template is introduced, for the licensing authorities of provinces and municipalities to report on the granting of electricity operating licenses in their locality for the previous year.

Generally speaking, the changes introduced by Circular 21 are minor, and serve mainly to clarify aspects of Circular 36. One notable change is that the regulations on revocation of electricity operating licenses have been removed. Circular 21 also provides a more generous timeline for responding to a request to amend or supplement an application file. In particular, after an applicant receives a request from the licensing agency to amend its application file, it will have 60 business days to make such amendment, whereas such timeline under Circular 36 was not specified for applications submitted to the MOIT and Electricity Regulatory Authority of Vietnam (ERAV) via the public online portal, and was only five business days for applications for which the licensing agency was the provincial people’s committee.

For more information on Circular 21, please contact us at [email protected].

Related Professionals

Industries

Energy

Location

RELATED INSIGHTS​ 

July 22, 2016
The petroleum sector has seen a great deal of turbulence over the past two to three years, with the prices of Brent and West Texas Intermediate, the global oil benchmarks, falling from over USD 100 per barrel to less than USD 30, before recovering to around USD 45 in recent weeks. In Thailand, a new round of bidding for petroleum concessions was announced in 2014, only to be cancelled shortly afterward in anticipation of amendments to be made to the Petroleum Act and Petroleum Income Tax Act.
Read More
July 6, 2016
The Policy Board, established under the Act Allowing Private Entities to Make Joint Investments in State Businesses, has issued a Notice setting out different procedural rules for the selection and implementation of public-private partnership (PPP) projects.The Notice sets out two separate procedures, which apply depending on the estimated value of the project, as follows: 
Read More
June 15, 2016
The PLC Energy and Natural Resources Global Guide 2016/17  provides an overview of electricity laws and regulations in jurisdictions around the world, structured in a Q&A format. Vinh Quoc Nguyen, a senior attorney-at-law in Tilleke & Gibbins’ Ho Chi Minh City office, authored the Vietnam chapter of the electricity guide.
Read More
June 15, 2016
The electricity component of Energy and Natural Resources, published by Practical Law Company, provides a Q&A-style overview of power issues and regulations across 23 jurisdictions worldwide. The Thailand chapter, written by Cynthia M. Pornavalai and Santhapat Periera, partners at Tilleke & Gibbins, details the country’s domestic electricity market, regulatory structure, and procedures and requirements. In particular, it covers the following subjects:
Read More