Regulations on the responsibilities of suppliers to ensure safe and continuous electricity

National Assembly deputies proposed adding content on the responsibility of electricity suppliers in ensuring safe and continuous electricity supply, as well as guiding people on safe electricity use.

Workers of Ninh Thuan Power Transmission Company (Power Transmission Company 3) check equipment at Phuoc Thai 220kV substation. (Photo: Huy Hung/VNA)

Continuing the program of the 8th session of the 15th National Assembly, on the morning of October 26, the National Assembly discussed in groups the socio-economic development plan for 2024 and the forecast for 2025; the draft Law on Electricity (amended).

Correct assessment to have appropriate adjustment solutions

Discussing in groups, opinions said that the economy has recovered positively, regaining growth momentum as before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Economic growth is higher than the set target. The macro economy is basically stable. Inflation and the state budget deficit are under control. However, the poverty rate nationwide is still high, temporary and dilapidated houses still exist.

The Government launched a movement to join hands to eliminate temporary and dilapidated houses nationwide in 2025 by cutting and saving 5% of the 2024 regular expenditure of the central and local budgets to implement this; At the same time, it allowed the transfer of unused 2024 funding to 2025 for continued implementation; and allowed localities to use this reduction and savings to support other localities in implementing this.

Handing over a house with support for renovation to a local resident. (Photo: Tran Viet/VNA)

Regarding the labor market, delegate Nguyen Thi Lan Anh (Lao Cai) analyzed that the rate of informal employment still accounts for a large proportion of 64.6%, jobs are unstable, and workers' rights and social security are not guaranteed compared to the informal sector.

The unemployment rate of young people aged 15-24 is 7.92%, 3.53 times higher than the general unemployment rate of working-age people (2.26%). This unemployed group is mainly concentrated in rural and mountainous areas, and ethnic minority areas.

Delegate Nguyen Thi Lan Anh said that in the coming time, many solutions and policies are needed to overcome the above difficulties, especially promptly adjusting support policies that have been issued for too long and are not suitable for current economic development.

Agreeing with the socio-economic solutions for 2025, according to delegate Nguyen Truc Son (Ben Tre), it is necessary to promote decentralization and delegation of power to localities according to the motto "locality decides, locality does, locality takes responsibility" to increase the initiative, creativity, and enhance the sense of responsibility of local authorities in their efforts to promote socio-economic development of their localities.

However, for localities to effectively implement this policy, clear mechanisms, policies and accompanying resources are needed. Therefore, delegates recommended that competent authorities at the central level pay attention to reviewing, promulgating and amending policies and legal regulations to perfect the institutions and policies to be truly synchronous, complete and clear, helping localities to feel secure in their decisions, actions and responsibilities.

The Central Government needs to create conditions for localities to have space and conditions to increase budget revenue, create resources to ensure that local socio-economic development policies can be implemented, and gradually reduce dependence on the Central budget.

In particular, there needs to be guidelines for localities to effectively utilize revenue from land, digital-based economic activities, services, and local self-generated economic potential.

Delegates from Ben Tre province suggested that the Government should properly assess the absorption capacity and implementation capacity of the implementing levels because in the same period of time, we promulgate and implement many key national programs and projects such as infrastructure, social housing, digital transformation, etc., so the absorption capacity and implementation organization of sectors and levels from the central to the grassroots level are difficult to implement simultaneously, with a certain delay.

Therefore, the Government needs to make a correct assessment to have appropriate adjustment solutions so that the issued mechanisms, policies, programs and projects must be organized and implemented to ensure implementation conditions, resources, progress and quality in a period.

In addition, there should be solutions to support and develop businesses, including continuing to support businesses to overcome difficulties such as: Appropriate credit packages for manufacturing, processing, and exporting businesses; Resolving difficulties for businesses in major sectors facing difficulties such as real estate and energy. Completed housing and renewable energy investment projects should be resolved early to put them into use, avoiding waste; The solutions to resolve difficulties have been appropriate in some localities, but other localities are similar, so they can be applied generally.

Regulations on the responsibilities of suppliers in ensuring safe and continuous electricity

Discussing the draft Law on Electricity (amended), delegates agreed with the need to amend the law, but the Report still failed to fully demonstrate the urgency from practice.

According to the delegate, in the period since the Electricity Law took effect, the Party issued many Resolutions and the State issued many new policies, so the Electricity Law did not meet the requirements.

Delegate Tran Van Tien (Vinh Phuc) said that the revised Electricity Law is basically consistent with the current legal system; consistent with the legal system and compatible with international treaties to which Vietnam is a member; overcomes the shortcomings and limitations of the current Electricity Law, while improving the effectiveness of state management of electricity, meeting the needs of economic and social development, ensuring national defense and security.

However, opinions all noted that this is a law related to many laws, so it needs to be reviewed to avoid overlap.

Referring to the issue of electricity quality in remote, rural areas and especially difficult areas such as mountainous, border and island areas, delegates said that currently, electricity cooperatives in these areas are facing many difficulties in maintaining and repairing the electricity system and ensuring safety.

Many opinions suggest that there should be priority policies and support for electricity development in these areas to improve the quality of life for people.

Regarding the safety corridor of power projects, delegate Le Thu Ha (Lao Cai) proposed to consider adding Clause 6 after Clause 5 of the Draft Law: For cases of granting Certificates of land use rights, house ownership rights and other assets attached to land, before granting the Certificate of land use rights, the Department of Natural Resources Management at all levels, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the People's Committees of districts, towns and cities must show the high and low voltage power lines passing through and on the ground of the Certificate of land use rights (if any).

According to the delegates, there are currently many households that have been granted land use right certificates, however, the power lines have been built before, so investors and households building houses still require the electricity industry to move the power lines outside the land that has been granted land use right certificates, which is unreasonable and not in accordance with regulations.

National Assembly deputies also proposed adding content on the responsibility of electricity suppliers in ensuring safe and continuous electricity supply, as well as guiding and educating people on safe electricity use./.

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