Decree No. 14/2014/NĐ-CP detailing the implementation of the Electricity Law on electrical safety

DECREE

Detailed regulations implementing the Electricity Law on electrical safetyFor power plants invested under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, n is determined according to the operational period of the power plant stipulated in the BOT contract.

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Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Based on the Electricity Law dated December 3, 2004, and the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Electricity Law dated November 20, 2012;

At the proposal of the Minister of Industry and Trade,

The Government promulgates this Decree to provide detailed regulations for certain provisions of the Electricity Law regarding electrical safety.

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

1. This Decree provides detailed regulations for certain provisions of the Electricity Law concerning electrical safety, including: Safety in power generation, transmission, distribution, and electricity usage in production; compensation and support for housing, structures, land, and trees within the protected corridor of overhead power lines when constructing high-voltage power transmission lines.

2. This Decree applies to organizations and individuals participating in electricity activities, using electricity, or engaging in other activities related to electricity in Vietnam. In cases where international treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a party contain different provisions from those of this Decree, the provisions of such international treaties shall apply.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

In this Decree, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. High-voltage power grid projects include high-voltage grids and the protected corridors for high-voltage power grids, applicable to grids with nominal voltage of 6 kV or higher.

2. Residential area refers to a geographic area currently inhabited by concentrated households or approved for households to move in. Geographic areas without households despite having people or motor vehicles passing through, or agricultural fields and hills planted with trees, shall not be considered residential areas.

3. Places frequently gathering large numbers of people include markets, squares, hospitals, schools, fairgrounds, exhibition sites, shopping centers, entertainment zones, ferry terminals, bus stations, train stations, and other public facilities.

4. The maximum sag state of power cables is the calculated state of the cable under the most severe impact of influencing factors such as current flowing through the cable, surrounding environmental temperature, and wind load simultaneously.

Article 3. General Provisions on Electrical Safety for Equipment and Power Grid Projects

1. Designing, manufacturing equipment, and constructing power grid projects must comply with technical standards, norms, or foreign/international standards approved by competent state authorities for application in Vietnam, and must meet the following requirements:

a) Electrical safety;

b) Construction safety;

c) Safety in the use of primary energy sources (hydropower, coal, oil, natural gas, and other forms of energy);

d) Fire and explosion prevention safety;

đ) Environmental protection regulations.

2. Newly produced or imported electrical equipment and tools must have quality certificates or product labels registered in accordance with technical standards, norms, and other relevant legal provisions; they must also come with user manuals detailing technical specifications, features, effects, and other important notes to guide users in preventing accidents and electrical incidents.

Article 8. Prohibited acts

1. Stealing or removing anchor ropes, grounding wires, or equipment from the power grid; climbing power poles or entering substations or protected areas of power grid projects without a designated task.

2. Using high-voltage power grid projects for purposes other than those agreed upon with the management unit of the high-voltage power grid project.

3. Flying kites or objects near high-voltage power grid projects that could cause power grid incidents.

4. Installing antennas, clotheslines, scaffolding, advertising signs, boxes, or other items at locations where they may fall and collide with high-voltage power grid projects.

5. Planting trees or allowing trees to violate safe distances from overhead power lines or substations.

6. Shooting birds on power lines or substations, or throwing or tossing any object onto power lines or substations.

7. Excavating soil causing subsidence of high-voltage power grid projects or substations.

8. Piling up soil, various materials, equipment, or waste violating safe distances.

9. Using power poles or substations for housing, tents, shops, tying livestock, or other purposes.

10. Blasting, mining; piling up or storing flammable/explosive substances or chemicals capable of corroding or damaging parts of high-voltage power grid projects.

11. Burning fields, using construction equipment causing vibrations or potential damage to high-voltage power grid projects, substations, or power plants.

12. Controlling aircraft flying closer than 100 meters to the nearest part of high-voltage power grid projects, except for aircraft performing maintenance, repair tasks on power lines as permitted by regulations.

13. Causing trees to fall onto power lines during pruning or taking advantage of power grid project protection and repair work to cut trees.

14. Other acts violating regulations on protecting the safety of high-voltage power grid projects.

Chapter II

ELECTRICAL SAFETY

Article 5. General requirements for safety in power generation, transmission, distribution, and electricity usage for production purposes

1. For power plants, substations, and overhead power lines ready to be put into operation

a) The investor must have all technical design documents, construction drawings, completion documents for installation works, and other technical documents as prescribed by laws on construction, to hand over to the operating management unit;

b) Investors of power plant, substation, and overhead power line projects must conduct testing and calibration of individual components and the entire system of equipment within the power generation, transmission, and distribution technology chain to ensure compliance with technical standards, specifications, and design parameters approved. Testing and calibration records must be included in the partial and final acceptance certificates of the project.

2. During the operation of overhead power lines passing through residential areas or places where people frequently gather, the load on the lines must not exceed the specified standards and limits as prescribed.

3. There must be complete documents on technical safety standards and regulations; guidelines such as procedures, internal rules, and measures for implementing safety regulations at agencies and enterprises based on current technical safety standards. Establish files, histories, and technical documents related to electrical equipment and organize management according to regulations.

4. At operational positions, there must be complete procedures: Equipment operation, electrical fault handling; grid diagrams, fire prevention and firefighting internal rules, operation logbooks, personal protective equipment, warning signs, and other tools and equipment as prescribed.

5. Personnel assigned to operate, test, install, and repair power lines or electrical equipment must meet the following conditions:

a) They must be trained in their profession and technical skills according to industry requirements;

b) They must be trained in electrical safety and issued an electrical safety card.

6. Electrical equipment must have quality certification or registered quality labels that comply with technical standards, specifications, and other relevant legal provisions.

7. Develop and issue preventive and emergency response plans for incidents and accidents. In case of an incident or accident involving electricity, immediate measures must be taken to rescue injured persons, minimize human and property losses; an investigation must be organized to determine and analyze causes; responsibilities must be reviewed and determined.

8. Organize or participate in widespread publicity and dissemination of electrical safety work.

9. Implement statistics and reporting of electrical incidents and accidents as prescribed.

Article 6. Provisions on training and issuing electrical safety cards

1. Personnel engaged in operating, testing, installing, and repairing power lines or electrical equipment must be trained in electrical safety and issued an electrical safety card.

2. Electrical safety training must be conducted annually and include examinations to rank electrical safety levels.

3. Employers are responsible for organizing training and issuing electrical safety cards to personnel as stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article; for rural, mountainous, border, island areas' electrical operators and repairers, issuance of electrical safety cards shall be carried out in accordance with Article 64 of the Electricity Law.

4. The training program must include the following main contents:

a) Procedures for operating and handling faults in power lines and electrical equipment where workers are employed;

b) Safety regulations when inspecting, maintaining, repairing, and testing power lines and electrical equipment under both energized and de-energized conditions;

c) Methods to identify and eliminate risks causing incidents and accidents at workplaces and first aid methods for victims of electrical accidents;

d) Establishment of safe working zones;

đ) Features, functions, usage methods, storage requirements, inspection (testing) regulations for safety equipment, tools, and devices suitable for workers' tasks;

e) Practical exercises related to ensuring safety appropriate to workers' tasks.

5. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall provide detailed regulations on training, ranking, and issuing electrical safety cards.

Article 7. Electric field intensity in substations with voltage of 220 kV or higher

Clause 1. The electric field intensity at areas where people work regularly must ensure that it does not exceed 5 kV/m.

Clause 2. In cases where the electric field intensity exceeds the provisions stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article, the regulations on permissible working time within a day and night shall be applied as follows:

Point a. When workers do not use equipment to prevent the effects of the electric field, the working time at locations with electric fields shall be as specified in the following table:

For electric field intensities not listed in the table, the permissible working time shall be calculated as (50/E - 2) hours.

Point b. When workers use equipment to prevent the effects of the electric field, the working time shall be carried out according to the manufacturer's instructions for the equipment.

Clause 3. Units owning and managing the operation of substations must measure and create maps of electric field intensity across the entire area of the substation and post them in the central control room of the substation.

The map of electric field intensity must be recreated when the substation undergoes any of the following changes in the high-voltage electrical components from 220 kV onwards:

Point a. Changes in the layout of equipment;

Point b. Changes in the distance between electrical conductors;

Point c. Reduction in the distance from electrical conductors to the ground.

Article 8. Handling and safety management of power facilities no longer in operation or use

Clause 1. Power facilities, excluding nuclear power plants, which are no longer in operation or use must be handled and managed in accordance with laws on construction, environmental protection, and other relevant laws.

Clause 2. The owner of the facility must organize the implementation of the following tasks:

Point a. Collecting hazardous waste, ash, various types of oil residues remaining in pipelines, equipment, waste oil sludge, corrosive substances such as caustic soda, ammonia, hydrazine, chlorine, strong acids, and other corrosive substances and their solutions, and treating them in accordance with environmental protection laws;

Point b. For power grids, dismantle and recover grid structures and restore the land surface within six months from the date the grid is disconnected from the power system;

Point c. For hydroelectric dams, restore natural flow to the river basin (stream).

Clause 3. The owner of the facility must develop a plan for managing, dismantling, and handling power facilities no longer in operation or use, including the contents stipulated in Clause 2 of this Article, submit it for approval in accordance with laws on construction, and implement it according to the approved plan.

Article 9. Construction of high-voltage power transmission lines

Clause 1. When the project for constructing high-voltage power transmission lines is approved by the competent state authority for the construction site, the investor must notify in writing the People's Committees at all levels in the locality, organizations, households, individuals who are users of land, owners of buildings, and other assets located within the protected safety zone of the high-voltage power transmission line, no later than fifteen (15) working days. Compensation, support for land, assets on land, and other support for land users during construction shall be implemented in accordance with laws on compensation, support, and resettlement. Any property or structure established after receiving notification of the project implementation and violating the safety zone as prescribed in this Decree must be demolished and will not be compensated or supported.

Clause 2. When constructing or renovating overhead power lines in residential areas, places frequently crowded with people, industrial zones, high-tech zones, export processing zones, important works related to national defense and security, historical and cultural relics, scenic spots ranked by the State, enhanced safety measures regarding electricity and construction must be strengthened as follows:

Point a. Poles must be steel poles or reinforced concrete poles; the safety factor of poles, beams, and pole foundations must not be less than 1.2;

Point b. Within a span, power cables are not allowed to have joints, except for power cables with a cross-sectional area of 240 mm² or more, which may have one joint per cable. The safety factor of power cables must not be less than 2.5;

Point c. Insulation must be arranged in pairs of the same type and technical characteristics. If power cables and lightning arresters are mounted on suspension insulators, fixed support clamps must be used. The safety factor of insulation and accessories must comply with current standards;

Point d. The distance from the lowest point of the power cable in its maximum sag to the ground must not be less than the values specified in the following table:

Point đ. In special cases, when constructing or renovating power lines up to 35 kV along internal traffic corridors in residential areas, industrial zones, high-tech zones, export processing zones, if insulated cables are used, the distance from the lowest point of the power cable in its maximum sag to the ground must not be less than 11 m.

Clause 3. The distance from power cables to the ground outside the areas specified in Clause 2 of this Article must be implemented in accordance with national technical standards on electrical engineering.

Clause 4. Underground cable sections connecting to overhead power lines must be placed in protective pipes from two meters above ground level.

Clause 5. In cases where it is necessary to construct high-voltage power lines within the scope of protecting road infrastructure, the provisions of laws on the management and protection of road infrastructure must be followed.

Article 10. Safe discharge distance according to voltage level

1. The safe discharge distance according to voltage level prescribed in Clause 1, Article 51 of the Electricity Law is set out in the table below:

2. The safe discharge distance according to voltage level prescribed in Clause 4, Article 51 of the Electricity Law is the minimum distance from the power line conductor to the nearest point of equipment, tools, or working means within the safety protection corridor of high-voltage power lines and is set out in the table below:

3. The safe discharge distance according to voltage level prescribed in Clauses 5, 6, and 7, Article 51 of the Electricity Law is the minimum distance from the power line conductor when the wire is at its maximum sag to the highest point of the protected object and is set out in the table below:

Article 11. Safety protection corridor for overhead power lines

1. The safety protection corridor for overhead power lines shall be defined as follows:

a) The length of the corridor is measured from the position where the line leaves the protective boundary of this substation to the position where it enters the protective boundary of the next substation;

b) The width of the corridor is limited by two vertical planes on both sides of the line, parallel to the line, with a distance from the outermost wire on each side when the wire is in a static state as specified in the following table:

c) The height of the corridor is measured from the bottom of the pole foundation to the highest point of the structure plus the vertical safe distance as specified in the following table:

2. The safety protection corridor for types of cables laid on the ground or suspended in the air is limited on all sides by 0,5 m from the outer surface of the outermost cable.

Article 12. Trees inside and outside the safety protection corridor for overhead power lines

1. In the case of trees within the safety protection corridor for overhead power lines, the distances are defined as follows:

a) For power lines up to 35 kV in cities, towns, and urban areas, the distance from any point of the tree to the power line conductor at its maximum sag must not be less than the distance specified in the following table:

b) For power lines from 110 kV to 500 kV in cities, towns, and urban areas, trees higher than the lowest power line conductor must not be allowed except in special cases where technical measures ensuring safety are taken and approved by the People's Committee of the province or centrally governed city (Provincial People's Committee). The distance from any point of the tree to the power line conductor at its maximum sag must not be less than the distance specified in the following table:

c) For power lines outside cities, towns, and urban areas, the vertical distance from the highest point of the tree to the lowest height of the power line conductor at its maximum sag must not be less than the distance specified in the following table:

d) For overhead power lines crossing special-use forests, protective forests, production forests, or planted gardens, the vertical distance from the average height of fully grown trees to the lowest power line conductor at its maximum sag must not be less than the distance specified in Point c, Clause 1 of this Article.

2. In the case of trees outside the safety protection corridor for overhead power lines and outside cities, towns, and urban areas, the distance from any part of the tree when it falls to any part of the power line must not be less than the distance specified in the following table:

3. For fast-growing trees that may violate the distances specified in Clause 1 and Clause 2 of this Article within three months and those trees that are no longer economically viable if their tops or branches are cut, they must be removed and new planting is prohibited.

4. Rice, flowers, and crops must be planted at least 0,5 m away from the edge of the pole foundation or anchor foundation.

Article 13. Conditions for the existence of residential buildings and structures within the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines with voltage up to 220 kV

Residential buildings and structures may exist within the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines with voltage up to 220 kV if they meet the following conditions:

1. The roof covering and enclosing walls must be made of non-combustible materials.

2. They shall not obstruct access routes for inspection, maintenance, and replacement of high-voltage power grid components.

3. The distance from any part of the residential building or structure to the nearest power line when the line is at its maximum sag shall not be less than the values specified in the table below:

4. The electric field strength shall be less than 5 kV/m at any point outside the building one (01) meter above ground level and less than or equal to 1 kV/m at any point inside the building one (01) meter above ground level.

5. For residential buildings and structures within the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines with 220 kV voltage, in addition to meeting the above conditions, metallic structures of the residential buildings and structures must also be grounded according to technical grounding regulations.

6. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall specify in detail the scope and technical requirements for grounding metallic structures of residential buildings and structures within and adjacent to the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines for voltages of 220 kV and above.

Article 14. Safety Protection Zone for Underground Power Cable Lines

The safety protection zone for underground power cable lines is defined as follows:

1. The length of the zone is measured from the position where the cable exits the boundary of the protection area of this substation to the position where it enters the boundary of the protection area of the next substation.

2. The width of the zone is limited by:

a) The outer surface of the cable trench for cables placed in a cable trench;

b) Two vertical faces located at a distance from the outer surface of the cable sheath or the outermost cable strand on both sides of the underground power cable line for cables directly buried in soil or water, as specified in the table below:

3. The height is measured from the ground or water surface to

a) The outer surface of the bottom of the cable trench foundation for cables placed in a cable trench;

b) A depth of 1.5 meters below the lowest point of the cable sheath for cables directly buried in soil or water.

Article 15. Safety Protection Zone for Substations

1. The safety protection zone for substations is defined as follows:

a) For substations without surrounding walls or fences, the safety protection zone is limited by the space surrounding the substation with a distance to the nearest energized parts of the substation as specified in the table below:

b) For substations with fixed walls or fences surrounding them, the safety protection zone extends to the outermost point of the foundation or protective wall of the fence; the height of the zone is measured from the deepest foundation base of the substation structure to the highest point of the substation plus the vertical safe distance specified in Point c Clause 1 Article 11 of this Decree;

c) For transformer substations and combined distribution substations with metal shells, the safety protection zone extends to the outer surface of the metal shell.

2. Houses and structures built near the safety protection zone of substations must ensure that they do not damage any part of the substation; do not encroach upon the access routes to the substation; the drainage system of the substation, the safety protection zone for underground power cable lines, and overhead power transmission lines; do not obstruct the ventilation system of the substation; and do not allow wastewater to enter and damage electrical facilities.

Article 16. Warning signs and signals

1. Units managing and operating high-voltage power grids must install prohibition signs and warning signs according to current technical standards and regulations.

2. Power poles must be painted white and red from a height of 50 meters upwards and must have signal lights installed at the top of the pole in the following cases:

a) Poles that are 80 meters or higher;

b) Poles that are over 50 meters but less than 80 meters and located in positions with special requirements.

3. At the lowest point where overhead power lines with voltages of 220 kV or higher cross inland waterways, there must be appropriate warning signals for waterway traffic to identify at night.

4. In cases where overhead power lines are within the airspace near airports, painting poles and installing warning signals shall comply with laws on air obstacle height management.

5. Along underground power cable routes, the project owner must place markers or identification signs for the cables.

6. Underground power cables placed underwater must have signals indicating their location, in accordance with laws on inland waterway traffic or port and maritime channel management.

Article 17. Management and operation of high-voltage power grids

1. Units managing and operating high-voltage power grids are responsible for:

a) Regularly inspecting the safety protection corridors of high-voltage power grids within their jurisdiction. Upon discovering violations, they must immediately require violators to cease such actions, report to, and cooperate with local state agencies with authority to establish records and handle these violations;

b) Inspecting, repairing, and maintaining the grid according to prescribed deadlines. Overloading should not be allowed for lines above residential buildings or construction projects;

c) Statistically tracking electrical accidents and violations against the safety protection corridors of high-voltage power grids within their jurisdiction, and reporting to local state agencies overseeing electricity activities and usage every six months and annually; for electrical accidents, rapid reports must also be made to these agencies within 24 hours of the accident occurring;

d) Publicly announcing the boundaries of the safety protection corridors of high-voltage power grids.

2. Personnel managing, operating, and repairing the grid must comply with national technical standards on electrical safety.

3. Cutting and trimming trees to ensure the safety of high-voltage power grids must be organized by units managing and operating high-voltage power grids and must notify the tree management organization or owner five (5) working days in advance through direct notification. If the tree owner intentionally does not accept the notification, the unit managing and operating the high-voltage power grid must obtain confirmation from the People's Committee of the commune, ward, town (People's Committee at the commune level) regarding non-receipt of the notification; organizations and individuals who do not accept the notification still bear responsibility as in other cases.

4. In cases where it is necessary to cut trees to address emergencies, units managing and operating high-voltage power grids must immediately inform the number of trees to be cut and compensate the tree owners. If notification cannot be given to the tree owners, it must be confirmed with the People's Committee at the commune level before cutting the trees.

5. Units managing and operating high-voltage power grids performing regular maintenance tasks must notify three (3) days in advance to organizations or individuals using land where underground power cables or overhead power lines pass through, either directly or via postal service or through the public address system of the People's Committee at the commune level; emergency repairs due to incidents must be notified before work begins, and if notification is not possible, it must be reported to the People's Committee at the commune level before work begins.

After inspection and repair work is completed, units managing and operating high-voltage power grids must restore the site to its condition prior to repair.

6. Organizations or individuals using land where underground power cables or overhead power lines pass through are responsible for facilitating units managing and operating high-voltage power grids in inspecting or repairing damage to the facilities.

Chapter III

COMPENSATION, SUPPORT FOR HOUSING, PROJECTS,

 LAND AND TREES IN THE SAFETY PROTECTION CORRIDOR

OF OVERHEAD POWER LINES

Article 18. Compensation and support for residential houses and ancillary facilities within the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines

1. Residential houses and ancillary facilities serving household activities of households and individuals that do not need to be relocated from the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines with voltage up to 220 kV as prescribed in Article 13 of this Decree shall be entitled to compensation and support due to restricted usability and impact on daily life. The compensation and support shall be provided once as follows:

a) Residential houses and ancillary facilities serving household activities where part or all of their area lies within the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines, constructed on land meeting the conditions for land compensation under the laws on land before the announcement of the implementation of the high-voltage power grid project approved by the competent authority, shall be compensated and supported for the area within the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines;

b) The specific level of compensation and support shall be determined by the People's Committee of the province but shall not exceed seventy percent (70%) of the value of the residential house and ancillary facilities serving household activities based on the new construction unit price of residential houses and ancillary facilities with equivalent standards issued by the People's Committee of the province, calculated according to the area within the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines;

c) In cases where residential houses and ancillary facilities are constructed on land that does not meet the conditions for land compensation under the laws, the People's Committee of the province shall consider and provide support based on the actual conditions of each locality.

2. Houses and facilities constructed before the announcement of the implementation of the high-voltage power grid project approved by the competent authority:

a) If they do not meet the conditions stipulated in Article 13 of this Decree, the investor of the high-voltage power grid project must bear the costs and organize the renovation to meet those conditions;

b) In cases where part of the structure is demolished, the remaining part still meets the technical standards prescribed by the laws on construction and satisfies the conditions stipulated in Article 13 of this Decree, the investor of the high-voltage power grid project shall be responsible for paying the value of the demolished part of the house or facility, the cost of completing the renovation to the equivalent standard before demolition, or compensating for relocation of the house or facility according to the decision of the People's Committee of the province;

c) In cases where houses and facilities cannot be renovated to meet the conditions stipulated in Article 13 of this Decree and must be demolished or relocated, the owner of the house or facility shall be entitled to compensation and support in accordance with the laws on compensation, support, and resettlement when the State recovers land.

Article 19. Compensation and support for land within the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines

1. Residential land and other types of land within the same plot with residential land of a single user within the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines with voltage up to 220 kV which are not subject to land recovery by the State shall be entitled to compensation and support due to restricted usability of the land. The compensation and support shall be provided once as follows:

a) Residential land eligible for compensation and support due to restricted usability is defined in legal documents on land;

b) The area of residential land eligible for compensation and support due to restricted usability is the actual area of residential land within the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines. The level of compensation and support shall not exceed eighty percent (80%) of the compensation amount for land recovery, calculated based on the area within the safety protection zone;

c) On the same plot of land, including residential land and other types of land of a single land user, if the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines occupies more space than the limit of residential land, the area of other types of land on the same plot within the safety protection zone shall also be eligible for compensation and support. The level of compensation and support shall not exceed eighty percent (80%) of the compensation amount for recovery of other types of land, calculated based on the area of other types of land within the safety protection zone;

d) In cases where residential land does not meet the conditions stipulated in Point a Clause 1 of this Article, the People's Committee of the province shall consider and provide support based on the actual conditions of each locality.

2. Land for perennial crops and production forests within the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines shall be entitled to support due to restricted usability of the land. The support shall be provided once and shall not exceed thirty percent (30%) of the compensation amount for recovery of land for perennial crops and production forests, calculated based on the area within the safety protection zone of overhead power transmission lines.

3. The levels of compensation and support specified in Clause 1 and Clause 2 of this Article shall be specifically determined by the People's Committee of the province. The funding for payment shall come from the investment capital of the investor of the high-voltage power grid project.

Article 20. Compensation and support for residential houses and ancillary structures outside the safety protection corridor of overhead power transmission lines but located between two overhead power transmission lines with voltage of 500 kV or higher

Clause 1. Residential houses and ancillary structures serving daily life of households and individuals located outside the safety protection corridor of overhead power transmission lines, but situated between two overhead power transmission lines with voltage of 500 kV or higher shall be considered for compensation, support, and relocation when one of the following conditions is met:

Point a. The electric field intensity exceeds the provisions stipulated in Clause 4, Article 13 of this Decree;

Point b. The horizontal distance between the outermost phase conductors of two adjacent overhead power transmission lines is less than or equal to sixty (60) meters.

Clause 2. In cases where residential houses and ancillary structures serving daily life of households and individuals have distances as prescribed in Point b, Clause 1 of this Article and the electric field intensity complies with the provisions stipulated in Clause 4, Article 13 of this Decree, if the land user or the owner of immovable property attached to the land submits a written request to remain at the location to the People's Committee of the district, they will be considered to stay and be compensated and supported for the entire area of residential land, the area of residential houses, and ancillary structures serving daily life as provided for residential land, residential houses, and ancillary structures serving daily life within the safety protection corridor of overhead power transmission lines as specified in Articles 18 and 19 of this Decree.

Clause 3. Within fifteen (15) working days from the date of receipt of the written request as stipulated in Clause 2 of this Article, the People's Committee of the district must issue a written response delivered directly or sent through registered mail to the person who made the request.

Article 21. Conversion of other types of land to residential land

When the land user must relocate residential houses out of the safety protection corridor of overhead power transmission lines and has the need to convert other types of land outside the corridor into residential land in accordance with the planning, the local land management agency shall process the necessary procedures to obtain approval from the competent authority to change the purpose of land use. The land user must comply with all legal regulations when changing the purpose of land use.

Article 22. Support for relocation costs

In addition to being compensated and supported for residential houses and ancillary structures as stipulated in Article 18 and land as stipulated in Article 19 of this Decree, if the owner of residential houses finds new residential land on their own and wishes to move out of the safety protection corridor of overhead power transmission lines, they shall carry out the relocation themselves and receive support for relocation costs according to the legal provisions on compensation, support, and resettlement when the State expropriates land.

Article 23. Compensation for trees inside and outside the safety protection corridor of overhead power transmission lines

Clause 1. Trees existing before the announcement of the implementation of high-voltage power grid projects and within the safety corridor, if required to be cut down and prohibited from being replanted according to Clause 3, Article 12 of this Decree, shall be compensated according to current regulations.

Clause 2. Trees existing before the announcement of the implementation of high-voltage power grid projects and within the corridor that do not require cutting down and prohibiting replanting as stipulated in Clause 3, Article 12, or trees outside the corridor posing a risk of violating the safe distance as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 12 of this Decree, the operating management unit has the right to inspect, cut, and trim trees to ensure safety for overhead power transmission lines and implement compensation according to regulations.

Clause 3. The level of compensation for the cases stipulated in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article shall be implemented once for each tree and shall be regulated by the People's Committee of the province, in accordance with the actual situation of the locality.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 24. State management responsibilities for electrical safety

1. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall be responsible for:

a) Establishing, promulgating, guiding, and organizing the implementation of national technical standards on electrical safety;

b) Taking the lead and coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies to prepare draft national standards on electrical safety, submitting them to the Ministry of Science and Technology for review and publication;

c) Taking the lead and coordinating with relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to manage state activities related to electrical safety;

d) Issuing regulations to guide the organization of quality inspections for electrical equipment, tools, and products according to safety standards;

đ) Inspecting and supervising electrical safety for organizations and individuals involved in power activities and electricity usage; identifying and handling violations according to the law;

2. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall be responsible for

a) Managing research and application of science and technology related to electrical safety;

b) Leading the review and publication of national standards on electrical safety upon the proposal of the Ministry of Industry and Trade;

c) Leading and coordinating with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to establish, review, promulgate, and manage the national system of technical standards on electrical safety;

3. The Ministry of Construction shall be responsible for

a) Guiding the implementation of national technical standards on electrical safety in the installation of power lines and substations in civil works; in urban areas;

b) Issuing and guiding the implementation of safe grounding practices in civil works;

4. Provincial People's Committees and Municipal People's Committees under the Central Government shall be responsible for:

a) Implementing state management of electrical safety at the local level according to the regulations of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and specialized ministries;

b) Developing targets to ensure electrical safety to be included in local socio-economic development plans and budgets;

c) Organizing the management and protection of power facilities according to the law;

d) Announcing land boundaries for use within the protected zones of power facilities;

đ) Providing information about current land use and land planning to organizations and individuals investing in high-voltage power grid construction in their province;

e) Identifying, preventing, and promptly addressing cases of encroachment, occupation, and illegal use of protected zones for high-voltage power grids and construction components of power facilities;

Article 25. Responsibilities for protecting high-voltage power grids

1. When discovering that high-voltage power grids are being violated, destroyed, burned, or experiencing serious accidents, the units managing the operation of high-voltage power grids, People's Committees at all levels, police, and military forces in the area shall cooperate urgently to mitigate damage and restore operations;

2. The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee shall be responsible for directing competent agencies to inspect, prevent, and promptly handle violations of regulations concerning the protection of high-voltage power grids within their jurisdiction;

3. Based on the situation in each locality, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee shall establish a provincial steering committee to address issues related to the protection of high-voltage power grids. The composition and operational rules of the steering committee shall be decided by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee;

Article 26. Effective date

This Decree takes effect from April 15, 2014; replacing Decree No. 106/2005/NĐ-CP dated August 17, 2005 detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Electricity Law on the protection of high-voltage power transmission facilities, and Decree No. 81/2009/NĐ-CP dated October 12, 2009 amending and supplementing certain articles of Decree No. 106/2005/NĐ-CP dated August 17, 2005;

Article 27. Implementation Organization

Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of agencies under the Government, Chairmen of provincial and centrally-administered city People's Committees, and related organizations and individuals are responsible for implementing this Decree./.