Vietnam PM Calls for Immediate Action to Resolve Delays in Renewable Energy Projects

On July 22, Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued an official directive to key ministries—including Agriculture and Rural Development; Natural Resources and Environment; Industry and Trade; and Construction—as well as the Government Inspectorate, provincial people’s committees, and the leadership of Vietnam Electricity (EVN), urging swift action on long-standing obstacles hindering wind and solar power developments.

In the dispatch, the Prime Minister expressed concern over delays in addressing unresolved issues across various renewable energy projects, stating that several authorities had been slow in execution and had failed to meet their assigned responsibilities.

He demanded that all outstanding issues with wind and solar projects be resolved and reported on by July 25.

In particular, the provinces of Lam Dong, Binh Thuan, and Dak Nong were instructed to address overlapping land use conflicts between renewable energy projects and titanium/bauxite mining activities.

Additionally, Dong Nai, Lam Dong, Khanh Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, and Dak Lak—the latter following its administrative merger on July 1—were directed to resolve land-related procedural hurdles. These include expanding land use areas, finalizing lease arrangements, and clarifying usage changes for 40 projects flagged by the Government Inspectorate.

The directive also tasks EVN with standardizing electricity purchase agreements for large-scale rooftop solar installations on agricultural and forestry land. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) is to propose a roadmap for a new feed-in tariff (FiT) mechanism covering both wind and solar power initiatives.

The call to action follows a 2023 investigation by the Government Inspectorate, which revealed that many renewable energy projects were granted commercial operation dates (CODs) prior to receiving full regulatory approval. The MoIT identified 173 grid-connected wind and solar plants affected by this issue.

Despite a government decision in November 2024 to ease regulatory bottlenecks for these projects, consensus between EVN and project developers has yet to be reached. Since early 2025, over 44 renewable energy developers—both domestic and foreign—along with industry associations, have submitted two rounds of formal feedback to the government. These submissions highlight continued difficulties in determining valid CODs and negotiating purchase prices for their projects.

The Prime Minister’s directive reflects growing urgency to unlock stalled renewable capacity and ensure Vietnam progresses toward its clean energy goals.