Chương VIII Luật điện lực 2004: Điện phục vụ nông thôn, vùng núi, hải đảo

Chapter VIII

ELECTRICITY IN SERVICE OF RURAL AND MOUNTAINOUS AREAS, ISLANDS

Article 60.- Policies on development of rural, mountainous, island electricity

1. To attract all resources for investment in building electricity infrastructures, accelerate the process of rural, mountainous and island electrification.

2. To create favorable conditions for people in deep-lying, remote areas, ethnic-minority regions, regions facing exceptionally difficult socio­economic conditions to use electricity for production and daily-life activities.

3. Organizations and individuals of all economic sectors, engaged in electricity-generating, distributing and/or business activities in rural, mountainous or island regions facing difficult or exceptionally difficult socio-economic conditions shall be entitled to policies of investment, financial and other preferences according to law provisions on investment promotion.

4. To encourage organizations and individuals to invest in construction of electricity grids or electricity-generating stations using local energies, new energies, renewable energies to supply electricity to rural, mountainous or island areas.

5. To prioritize the adequate and timely supply of electricity to water pumping stations in service of irrigation, water-logging and drought fighting.

Article 61. Investment in development of rural, mountainous and island electricity

1. The State shall adopt policies to support electricity units operating in areas where electricity investment and operations bear no economic efficiency.

2. The State shall adopt policies to provide investment support for construction of transmission lines from the outlets of electricity meters to electricity-using households entitled to social policies and meeting with exceptional economic difficulties as certified by local People's Committees.

3. The State's support policies cover:

a) Support in investment capital;

b) Support in interest rates on investment capital loans;

c) Tax preferences.

The Finance Ministry shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Industry Ministry in, guiding the implementation of support policies.

4. The People's Committees at all levels shall have to create conditions for organizations and individuals to invest in building, renovating or upgrading rural, mountainous, island electricity grids.

Article 62.- Electricity retailing prices in rural, mountainous and island areas

1. The electricity retailing prices in rural, mountainous and island areas shall comply with the table of electricity retailing prices prescribed in Clause 1, Article 31 of this Law, except forthe cases provided for in Clause 2 of this Article.

2. The retailing prices of electricity for daily-life activities in areas where electricity investment and operations are economically inefficient shall be set by the provincial-level People's Committees, which, however, must not fall outside the electricity retailing price bracket prescribed in Clause 1, Article 31 of this Law.

Article 63.- Payment of irrigation electricity charges

1. The time limit for payment for electricity used by irrigation works- exploiting enterprises for irrigation and water drainage for rice, vegetables, subsidiary food crops, industrial plants intercropped with rice, vegetables or subsidiary food plants shall be agreed upon by the electricity buyers and sellers, but shall not exceed one hundred and twenty days counting from the date of receiving the electricity bills.

2. The State shall provide funding for payment for electricity used for water-logging and drought fighting in excess of the level according to law provisions on exploitation and protection of irrigation works.

3. The Finance Ministry shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in, guiding the implementation of the provisions of this Article.

Article 64.- Electric safety in rural, mountainous, island areas

1. Organizations and individuals conducting electricity activities and/or using electricity in rural, mountainous and island areas must strictly observe the electric safety regulations and technical standards.

2. Persons operating, repairing electric equipment in rural, mountainous or island areas must satisfy the following criteria:

a) Being aged full 18 or older;

b) Being certified by medical bodies as physically fit for the jobs;

c) Possessing professional certificates or diplomas in electricity, issued by vocational training establishments;

d) Possessing safety cards issued by provincial-level agencies which perform the state management over electricity activities and electricity use.

3. Only electricity units operating the electricity grids can organize the repair and installation of electric equipment, electricity grids within the areas under their respective management.

4. The Industry Ministry shall prescribe the electricity safety technical standards, grant electric safety cards and guide measures for electric safety in rural, mountainous, island areas.