Written by Partner Ngoc Anh Bui and Foreign Counsel Vaibhav Saxena
On April 15, 2025, Prime Minister’s Decision No. 768/2025 (“Revised PDP-8”) was initialed and adjustments were made in accordance with the Law on Planning 2017 (as amended).
The revised Power Development Plan 8 (PDP-8) outlines Vietnam’s national electricity development strategy for the period from 2021 to 2030, with a vision extending to 2050. This plan aligns with Vietnam’s international climate commitments, including those made at COP26, COP27, COP28, and reaffirmed at COP29. It has been approved in accordance with the Electricity Law 2024, Decree No. 58/2025, Decree No. 56/2025 and other relevant regulations. Additionally, it follows the directives of Resolution No. 81/2023, Resolution No. 174/2024 and Resolution 139/2024 of the National Assembly of Vietnam.
Vision
- Optimise power source, transmission (220kV/500kV, N1 and N2 mix, smart grids), distribution, efficiency and pricing with sectoral planning, reasonable import of power and fuel (energy security) to support socio-economic development.
- Self-reliant transition with international integration.
- Local industry push (realize aim of the Industrial Revolution), digitization, smart power systems, greener transition with fuel conversion for polluting power sources with tech upgrades.
- Promote renewable energy (“RE”) sources [including, wind (onshore, offshore with deep-water, ensure sovereignty) solar (concentrated solar must be combined with BESS with a minimum rate of 10% of capacity and 2 hours of storage), hydro], off-grid ones, RE involved in production of hydrogen, ammonia, uncapped export of power and new energy sources production (such as hydrogen and green ammonia).
- Utilise international commitments such as JETP, AZEC, green/climate funds, bonds, and credit sources. Boost PPP and IPP models and integrate the role of SOEs.
- Proceed with approved and under-construction coal-fired plants, considering greener fuel conversions (biomass, ammonia) over 20 years. Decommission plants over 40 years old if fuel conversion is not feasible.
- Prioritise the development of nuclear power.
- Focus on importing electricity from ASEAN and GMS.
Planning and Targets
Details | By 2030 – 2035 |
Synchronisation between supply and demand | Forecasted average GDP growth at 10%/year |
Commercial power | Around 500.4 – 557.8 billion kWh |
Electricity generation and import | Around 560.4 – 624.6 billion kWh |
Maximum power | Around 89,655 – 99,934 MW |
Ensure safe and reliable power supply, meeting criteria N-1 for important load areas, nuclear power and N-2 for particularly important load areas. | The reliability of electricity supply to be in the group of 4 leading countries in ASEAN, the electricity access index to be in the group of 3 leading countries in ASEAN |
Off-grid rooftop solar power | 50% of office buildings and 50% of residential houses |
RE boost (excluding hydropower) | 28 – 36%, JETP support |
GHG emissions | 197 – 199 million tons approx. Peak emissions cap at 170 million tons, in line with JETP |
Development of the industrial ecosystem and RE | Form 2 inter-regional RE industrial and service centers including electricity production, transmission and consumption; RE equipment manufacturing industry, construction, installation, related services. |
Develop RE and New Energy for export to Singapore, Malaysia and other regional partners | By 2035, around 5,000-10,000 MW |
Generation Capacities
By 2030, total generation capacity (excluding exports) to be 183,291 – 236,363 MW:
Source | MW |
Onshore wind | 26,066 – 38,029 (14.2 – 16.1%) |
Offshore wind | 6,000 – 17,032 (2030 – 2035) |
On-grid Solar (including concentrated and rooftop) | 46,459 – 73,416 (25.3 – 31.1%) |
Biomass | 1,523 – 2,699 |
Waste to energy | 1,441 – 2,137 |
Geothermal and other new energy | 45 (approx..) |
Hydro | 33,294 – 34,667 (14.7 – 18.2%) |
Nuclear | 4,000 – 6,400 (2030 – 2035) |
Storage | 10,000 – 16,300 (5.5 – 6.9%) |
Coal-fired thermal | 31,055 (13.1 – 16.9%) |
Domestic gas-fired thermal | 10,861 – 14,930 (5.9 – 6.3%) |
LNG thermal | 22,524 (9.5 – 12.3%) |
Flexible power (thermal using LNG, Oil, Hydrogen) | 2,000 – 3,000 (1.1 – 1.3%) |
Pumped storage hydro | 2,400 – 6,000 |
Import | 9,360 – 12,100 (from Laos and China) (4 – 5.1%), maximize from Laos. |
- Investor alarm for coal-fired projects: those facing implementation challenges may be adjusted to wind, solar, and biomass alternatives, if necessary.
- Under the DPPA and new energy production statistics, large customers, as defined by Decree No. 57/2025, account for approximately 25% of the total electricity output of the entire system, involving over 1,500 customers.
- Scale-up exports to Cambodia to 400 MW (approximate)
- Exports to Singapore Malaysia by 2025 to be around 5,000 – 10,000 MW or higher.
Transmission Capacities
Period 2025-2030:
Transformer Stations | Lines | |
500kV | New 102,900 MVA, upgrade 23,250 MVA | New 12,944 km and upgrade 1,404 km |
220kV | New 105,565 MVA and upgrade 17,509 MVA | New 15,307 km and upgrade 5,483 km |
Inclined Investment Figures (source + transmission)
2026 – 2030: estimated total investment required is US$136.3 billion (breakup: US$118.2 billion for generation + US$18.1 billion for transmission).
Land Requirements
By 2030, 89.9 – 93.36 thousand ha.
Priority projects
- Policy development/improvising
- Scientific advancement, R&D centers for RE and new energy, climate change, nuclear power, inter-regional RE service and industrial corridor
- Human capital/resources
Key Attachments to Revised PDP-8
- Appendix II – Capacity of RE sourced by location.
- Appendix III – List and expected progress of important national power sources and grid, priority projects.