Vietnam fully amends energy management rules for large facilities 
On September 29, 2020, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) of Vietnam enacted the “Circular No. 25/2020/TT-BCT on planning for economical and efficient use of energy and its implementation”. This circular defines details of energy conservation management for large energy-using facilities, including manufacturing plants. This circular came into effect on 13 November 2020, and accordingly replaced the previous Circular No. 09/2012/TT-BCT.
The original text of this Circular can be downloaded from the following URL:
https://sct.travinh.gov.vn/SiteFolders/sct/01%20SoCT/05%20VanBan%20BoCT/TT-25-2020-BCT.pdf
This Circular mainly provides for the following:
- Preparation of a list of large energy-using facilities (annually) by MOIT
- Plan for effective energy use and report on its implementation (annually and every five years)
- Annual energy use plans and implementation reports for state-owned organizations and institutions that consume more than 100,000 kWh of electricity
- Implementation Procedures and Reporting Details in Energy Audits
The term of “large energy-using facilities” refers to facilities that fall into one of the following categories:
- Industrial manufacturing plants, agricultural production plants, and transportation facilities that consume energy more than 1,000 tons of oil equivalent per year (1,000 TOE); or
- Properties, offices, and buildings used as residences, educational, medical, entertainment, sports facilities, hotels, supermarkets, restaurants, and stores that consume energy more than 500 tons of oil equivalent per year (500 TOE).
Report on Energy Consumption
The following eligible energy-using facilities must submit a report on their energy consumption for the last year to the local Department of Industry and Trade (DOIT) by January 15 of each year
- Large energy-using facilities to be defined in the Prime Minister’s Decision on the list of large energy-use facilities, which is approved the year before last.
- Industrial manufacturing facilities, agricultural production plants and transportation with annual energy consumption of more than 600 TOE (or 3.6 million kWh), or buildings and construction work with more than 300 TOE (or 1.8 million kWh). This list of facilities is determined by each DOIT based on data from the General Directorate of Statistics and the list of large energy consuming customers compiled by Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) (https://sudungdien.evn.com.vn).
The energy consumption status report must be in accordance with Form 1.1 in Annex I of this Circular. Based on the results of this report, Department of Industry and Trade of every province prepares a list of large energy-using facilities for the previous year. After its approval by the people’s committees of the provinces, they will submit directly the list to MOIT. This list will be published in the National Energy Use Database (http://dataenergy.vn) by February 1st of the year.
Effective energy use planning (annually and every five years)
By April 30 of each year, large energy-using facilities must submit a plan for energy efficient use for the year and a report on the implementation of the plan for the previous year. The format of the energy efficient use plan and report are stipulated in Forms 1.2 to 1.8 of Annex I to this Circular.
Likewise, by April 30 of the first year of the five-year cycle, facilities must submit a five-year plan for energy efficient use for the next five years and a report on the implementation of the energy efficient use plan for the preceding five years. The respective forms are set in Annex II of this Circular.
Energy audits
Large energy-using facilities must conduct an energy audit every three years. The audit procedure and the content of the report are specified in Annex III of this Circular. The energy audit report includes survey and measurement; collection of data on energy use; analysis, calculation and evaluation of energy use efficiency; analysis of the potential for energy efficient use; analysis of the effectiveness of energy efficient measures and investments; and recommendations.
Within thirty (30) days of the completion of an energy audit, facilities must submit the audit report to DOIT. Within 30 days of its receipt, the DOIT has to inform the facility of any comments, requests for corrections or supplements, etc., in accordance with Appendix IV of this Circular. Based on the response, the facility must correct and resubmit it to the DOIT within 60 days. Facilities newly designated as large energy-using facilities under the Prime Minister’s Decision must complete and submit the energy audit report to DOIT within one year after the promulgation of the Decision.
Facilities listed as transportation in the list of large energy-using facilities are exempted from the obligation of conducting energy audits. Facilities that operate in more than one sector are also exempted from energy audits for transportation activities.
Factories, agricultural production sites, and transportation organizations that are not on the list of large energy-using facilities are not required to conduct energy audits, but are recommended to conduct it every three to five years.
