The Ministry of Industry and Trade is proposing a wider direct power purchase mechanism in the draft revised Electricity Law, with experts warning that grid readiness and market design still matter.
Thanh Niên's 27 July report says the Ministry of Industry and Trade is proposing to expand Vietnam's direct power purchase mechanism in the draft revised Electricity Law. The move comes as demand for clean electricity from businesses rises while the competitive power market continues to mature.
After nearly two years of the DPPA mechanism, the article says only one case has participated through the national grid: Samsung Thai Nguyen's plant. The new draft adds retail electricity units and power generators, on top of large customers in industrial and industrial-cluster zones.
Energy expert Ngo Duc Lam says the expansion fits the roadmap toward a competitive power market, but it will only work well if the grid is technically ready. He notes that solar output peaks around midday while evening demand rises, so storage options such as BESS or pumped hydro could ease dispatch pressure.
The article also says that if EVN's grid is used, the transmission service should be provided and charged under competitive-market principles. In short, DPPA is being widened step by step, with priority given to large customers that genuinely need clean electricity and to grid capacity that can absorb it.
Original article: How should the direct power purchase mechanism be expanded? — Thanh Niên (27 Jul 2026)
