On August 20, 2025, Party General Secretary To Lam signed Resolution 70-NQ-TW of the Politburo, a strategic directive aimed at ensuring Vietnam’s national energy security through 2030, with a forward-looking perspective toward 2045.
Building upon the groundwork established by Resolution 55-NQ/TW, which accelerated the expansion and diversification of the energy sector, Resolution 70 introduces updated priorities that reflect new international and domestic contexts. The focus shifts from merely ensuring sufficient power supply to providing energy that is high-quality, affordable, sustainable, climate-resilient, and integrated with global markets.
Key legal and policy highlights of Resolution 70 include:
- Facilitating Capital Inflows: Promotes equal access for private and international investors, targeting renewable energy, smart grids, new energy sources, and nuclear power. The Resolution advocates for reforms in finance, credit, and taxation policies, alongside incentives for green projects, energy storage, R&D, and domestic manufacturing. It also emphasizes mobilizing official development assistance (ODA), green bonds, and zero-emission target programs (JETP).
- Strengthening Contractual and Project Execution Frameworks: Mandates enhanced enforcement of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), resolution mechanisms for stalled projects, elimination of state-owned enterprise (SOE) payment delays, and encouragement of private investments in energy storage infrastructure such as batteries and LNG/fuel depots. New transmission pricing models are introduced to attract private capital.
- Renewable Energy Prioritization: Aims for renewables to constitute 25–30% of the primary energy supply by 2030, with the introduction of renewable energy certificate markets and system optimizations. It promotes diverse technologies including geothermal, ocean, tidal energy, hydrogen, ammonia, and offshore wind linked to hydrogen production. Special mechanisms will address legal and financial obstacles affecting stalled renewable projects. Biomass, co-generation, and waste-to-energy projects are encouraged without planning caps.
- Nuclear Power Development: Urges expedited implementation of the Ninh Thuận 1 and 2 nuclear power plants by 2030–2035, with opportunities for both SOEs and private sector participation, especially in small modular reactors.
- Energy Efficiency and Emissions Reduction: Establishes energy savings goals of 8–10% of total final consumption by 2030 and greenhouse gas reductions of 15–35% from energy-related activities, compared to business-as-usual scenarios.
- Human Resource Development: Calls for a comprehensive master plan to enhance high-quality workforce training in the energy sector, with a focus on nuclear energy. The target is 25,000–35,000 trained personnel, with active recruitment of international experts and overseas Vietnamese specialists.
On September 4, 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) Vice Minister Long chaired a conference emphasizing that while Resolution 70 establishes a critical strategic framework, the key challenge remains its effective implementation across all sectors.
This Resolution represents a significant legal and policy advancement aimed at unlocking substantial investment in Vietnam’s energy sector by addressing institutional bottlenecks and aligning energy development with sustainable, resilient, and international standards.
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Please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Oliver Massmann under [email protected] if you have any questions or want to know more details on the above. Dr. Oliver Massmann is the General Director of Duane Morris Vietnam LLC.
