Joint Circular No. 111/2009/TTLT/BTC-BCT guiding the implementation of electricity conservation in state agencies and public service units

JOINT CIRCULAR

Guidelines for Implementing Electricity Conservation in State Agencies

and Publicly Funded Organizations

 ____________________

Pursuant to Decree No. 60/2003/NĐ-CP dated June 6, 2003, promulgated by the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of the Law on State Budget;

Pursuant to Decision No. 80/2006/QD-TTg dated April 14, 2006 of the Prime Minister approving the Electricity Conservation Program for the period 2006-2010;

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry and Trade provide guidelines for implementing electricity conservation in state agencies and publicly funded organizations as follows:

Article 1. Scope and Applicability

These Circulars guide the implementation of electricity conservation in state agencies and publicly funded organizations (referred to as units) under ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government agencies (referred to as central ministries and agencies), and People's Committees at all levels.

Agencies under the Communist Party of Vietnam and political-social organizations using state budget funds shall consider self-determining the application of the provisions of this Circular.

Article 2. Measures for Electricity Conservation

- Turn off unnecessary electrical devices when leaving a room and completely disconnect power sources if the devices are not in use after working hours.

- Maximize natural light and ventilation, reduce lighting when the number of people working in a room decreases. Design and install general lighting systems reasonably, reducing at least 50% of the energy used for common lighting in corridors, outdoor areas, gardens, and fences.

- Only use air conditioning when absolutely necessary and set cooling temperatures to 25°C or higher. Regularly inspect and maintain ventilation and heat transfer systems to avoid energy loss. Use fans instead of air conditioners when the weather is not excessively hot.

- Within the annual state budget allocation, purchase high-efficiency fluorescent lamps T8 (36W, 32W, 18W) and T5 to replace low-efficiency fluorescent lamps T10 (40W, 20W) that have burned out, and replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (round bulbs) at appropriate locations to ensure that within a short time only energy-efficient lighting equipment (including ballasts) is used. When replacing electrical devices, equip them with energy-saving labeled devices.

Article 3. Development of Electricity Usage Plans

Each year, based on the previous year's electricity usage situation, tasks, and requirements for planned-year electricity usage, units must develop an electricity usage plan for the planned year, divided by quarter (model number 1), before January 15 of the planned year. The electricity usage plan must include energy-saving measures ensuring at least a 10% reduction in annual electricity costs. Units must submit their electricity usage plans to the superior supervisory agency and the Power Company/Provincial Power Company managing the local power grid. If the electricity usage plan does not meet the required savings level, the superior supervisory agency must request the unit to adjust it within 15 days from the date of receipt of the plan, and simultaneously send it to the Power Company/Provincial Power Company managing the local power grid.

Article 4. Utilization of Electricity Savings Revenue

Revenue from electricity savings due to energy conservation can be used by units to enhance material resources, increase income, award bonuses, and provide welfare benefits to staff members according to the current financial autonomy and responsibility mechanism.

Article 5. Inspection, Supervision, and Handling of Violations

The superior managing agency when reviewing the annual settlement has the responsibility to inspect and supervise the implementation of electricity savings by units under its management.

In cases where the level of electricity consumption exceeds the registered level, the unit shall be responsible for explaining the reasons to the superior managing agency and will be handled as follows: For objective reasons (due to increased equipment, scale of operations, etc.), funds from operational expenses may be used to cover costs; for subjective reasons (lack of sense of responsibility, failure to comply with regulations on electricity usage, etc.), the staff members causing wasteful electricity use must be clearly identified and compensation must be made according to Circular No. 98/2006/TT-BTC dated October 20, 2006, issued by the Ministry of Finance, guiding the compensation for damages and disciplinary actions against civil servants who violate laws on thrift and anti-waste.

The results of the inspection of electricity savings conducted by the superior managing agency shall be publicly disclosed to subordinate units; the inspected unit must also disclose the inspection results of the superior managing agency and handle violations of the electricity usage regulations within the unit.

People's Committees at all levels (or authorized agencies) have the responsibility to inspect and monitor the implementation of electricity-saving measures by electricity-consuming units within their jurisdiction. In cases where electricity-consuming units are found not to have implemented electricity savings, they must promptly notify the superior managing agency of the electricity-consuming unit for handling according to regulations.

Article 6. Electricity Saving Reports

Quarterly and annually, units are responsible for reporting the situation of electricity supply by the Power Company/Provincial Power Enterprise managing the power grid in their area; the situation of electricity usage, amount of saved electricity, electricity-saving funds, and explanations for reasons of non-savings (model number 2) to the superior managing agency (quarterly reports sent before the 15th day of the first month of the next quarter; annual reports sent before January 15 of the following year) for consolidation and reporting to the Ministry, central agencies (for units under central agencies), Provincial People's Committee (for units under local agencies).

Ministries, central agencies, provincial people's committees aggregate the amount of saved electricity, electricity-saving funds, and measures taken against units under their management that fail to meet electricity-saving targets and send them to the Ministry of Industry and Trade for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister, simultaneously sending to the Ministry of Finance.

Article 7. Implementation Organization

1. Ministries, central agencies, provincial people's committees direct the establishment of plans, implementation, and supervision of the execution of electricity-saving measures in units under their management and subordinate units.

2. Quarterly and annually, the Power Company/Provincial Power Enterprise is responsible for reporting the situation of electricity supply to units and the situation of electricity usage by subordinate units of ministries, central agencies, and localities within their jurisdiction to people's committees at all levels for the purpose of inspecting and monitoring the implementation of electricity-saving measures by electricity-consuming units within their jurisdiction; at the same time, they must inform the electricity-consuming units to report to their superior managing agencies.

State agencies and public service units establish electricity usage regulations and publicly disclose them internally within the agency or unit; these regulations include provisions for compensation in cases of electricity waste due to subjective reasons.

This Circular takes effect 45 days from the date of signature.

During implementation, if there are any difficulties, units are requested to reflect them to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry and Trade for timely revision and supplementation to ensure compliance.