DECREE NO. 62/2025/NĐ-CP DETAILING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ELECTRIC POWER LAW ON THE PROTECTION OF ELECTRIC POWER FACILITIES AND SAFETY IN THE ELECTRIC POWER SECTOR

DECREE

Detailed regulations on the implementation of the Electricity Law regarding the protection of power facilities and safety in the electricity sector

The Government issues this Decree detailing the implementation of certain provisions of the Electricity Law concerning the protection of power facilities and safety in the electricity sector.

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Pursuant to the Government Organization Law on February 18, 2025;

Pursuant to the Electricity Law dated November 30, 2024;

Pursuant to the Law on Legislative Regulatory Documents dated June 22, 2015; the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Law on Legislative Regulatory Documents dated June 18, 2020;

At the proposal of the Minister of Industry and Trade;

1. This Decree details the implementation of certain provisions of the Electricity Law concerning the protection of power facilities and safety in the electricity sector, including Clause 5, Article 67; Clause 10, Article 68; Clause 9, Article 69; Clause 2, Article 72; Article 74; Clause 7, Article 75; Clause 6, Article 76; Clause 5, Article 77; and Clause 8, Article 78.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

2. This Decree applies to state management agencies with competent authority; agencies, organizations, individuals participating in electricity activities, using electricity, or engaging in other activities related to electricity in Vietnam.

1. The owner of hydropower works is an organization or individual that invests in construction or receives the transfer of ownership of hydropower works.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

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

2. Power transmission and distribution facilities are a combination of equipment, machinery, devices, and structures directly serving the operation of power transmission, distribution, and facility protection systems.

3. Power generation facilities are a combination of equipment, machinery, devices, and structures directly serving the operation of power generation and facility protection systems.

4. Hydropower works are works tasked with generating electricity, including: dams, hydropower reservoirs, energy lines, hydropower plants, and other works serving the management and exploitation of hydropower.

5. Insulated wire is an electric conductor covered with an insulating layer having a minimum insulation level equal to the phase voltage of the line.

6. High voltage is rated voltage above 1 kV.

7. The entity managing and operating hydropower works is an organization or individual entrusted by the owner of hydropower works to manage, operate, and exploit hydropower works.

8. Operation monitoring system is a system consisting of equipment for connecting meteorological and hydrological observation data, flood inundation conditions downstream of the dam; cameras for monitoring the operation of the work, and software supporting dam and water reservoir operation according to actual developments.

9. Hydropower reservoir is a water storage reservoir used for power generation and other purposes according to the functions and tasks of the work.

10. Safe discharge capacity according to voltage level is the minimum distance from the live part to the nearest point of equipment, tools, means, works, trees, flying objects.

11. Flood discharge capacity is the ability of the work to allow the discharge of floods corresponding to the design flood frequency or the flood inspection frequency while ensuring the safety of the work.

12. Dam and hydropower reservoir safety inspection is an activity to check and evaluate the quality or cause of damage, assess the safety of dams, hydropower reservoirs, and related works through measurement, observation, testing combined with calculation and analysis.

13. Severe electrical accident up to disaster is a major fluctuation caused by a widespread electrical accident threatening or causing serious harm to people, property, environment, national defense, national security, social order and safety exceeding the response and recovery capability of the power industry and local authorities.

14. Substation is a transformer station, switchgear station, compensation station, rectifier station.

15. Maximum sag condition of electric conductor is the calculated condition of the conductor when simultaneously subjected to the most severe effects of factors such as current through the conductor, surrounding environmental temperature, wind load.

16. Energy line is a combination of components from the intake gate on the hydropower reservoir through the turbine inlet valve to the outlet channel of the hydropower plant.

17. Downstream area of hydropower dam is the area flooded when the hydropower reservoir implements water release according to procedures, emergency flood release, or dam failure.

PROTECTION OF POWER FACILITIES SAFETY

Chapter II

PROTECTION OF ELECTRICAL WORKS SAFETY

Article 3. General Provisions on the Protection of Power Engineering Works

1. Agencies, organizations, and individuals have the responsibility to promptly report to the state management agency and power units when discovering acts of theft or removal of anchor ropes, grounding wires, equipment of the power grid, climbing power poles, entering substations or protected areas of power engineering works without a designated task.

2. Power engineering works shall not be used for other purposes without the consent of the power engineering work management unit.

3. Antennas for transmitting and receiving waves, clotheslines, scaffolding, sheds, nets, signs, advertising light boxes, and other objects shall not be installed at locations where they may fall, drop, fly off, or shake causing damage or accidents to power engineering works.

4. Organizations and individuals shall not dig soil, load materials, or engage in activities causing subsidence or posing a risk of landslides or subsidence of power grid facilities or substations; shall not burn fields, waste, materials, or use construction equipment that causes vibrations or has the potential to damage power engineering works; shall not shoot, throw, or launch any object onto power lines, substations, or other power engineering works.

5. Blasting or mining shall not be carried out; stacking or storing flammable and explosive substances, chemicals capable of corrosion or causing fires, which could damage parts of power engineering works, shall not be permitted.

6. Aircraft granted permission must ensure safe distances from power engineering works, and are not allowed to enter within 500 meters from the outer edge of overhead high-voltage or ultra-high-voltage power lines, or 100 meters from the outer edge of medium-voltage overhead power lines in all directions around them, except for aircraft performing tasks related to the management, maintenance, and repair of power lines as stipulated.

Article 4. Safety Protection of Overhead High-Voltage Power Transmission Lines

1. The project investor and the operation management unit of the power grid have the responsibility to organize the implementation of safety protection measures for power grid facilities under their management, including areas within the safety protection zone of the power grid.

2. Owners or users of houses or structures existing within the safety protection zone of overhead high-voltage power transmission lines must take measures to secure and reinforce the roofs of houses or structures to prevent them from flying into the overhead high-voltage power transmission lines; comply with regulations on the safety protection of overhead high-voltage power transmission lines when repairing or renovating houses or structures; shall not use the roof or any part of the house or structure for purposes that may violate the safe discharge distance according to the voltage level specified in the table below:

3. Before constructing, repairing, or renovating houses or structures within the safety protection zone of overhead high-voltage power transmission lines, organizations and individuals must implement safety measures for overhead high-voltage power transmission lines according to technical requirements set forth in Clause 4 of Article 8 of this Decree. The construction permit issuing authority shall be responsible for seeking the opinion of the power grid operation management unit before issuing a construction permit for houses or structures within the safety protection zone.

4. Trees inside and outside the safety protection zone of overhead high-voltage power transmission lines must comply with the provisions of Article 15 of this Decree.

5. Owners of ponds or lakes through which overhead high-voltage power transmission lines pass must take responsibility for coordinating with the operation management unit to install warning signs and shall not allow fishing within the safety protection zone of overhead high-voltage power transmission lines and areas at risk of violating the safe discharge distance according to the voltage level.

6. Within a range of 1,000 meters from the outer edge of overhead high-voltage or ultra-high-voltage power lines or 500 meters from the outer edge of medium-voltage overhead power lines in all directions around them, organizations and individuals shall not release kites or flying objects, except for devices serving national defense and security and those belonging to power engineering work management units performing inspection, operation, and maintenance tasks.

7. Organizations and individuals shall not pile up soil, stack various types of materials, equipment, or dump waste within the safety protection zone of overhead high-voltage power transmission lines, thereby changing the distance between overhead high-voltage power transmission lines and natural ground surfaces or violating the safe electrical distance.

8. When conducting work near or within the safety protection zone of overhead high-voltage power transmission lines, organizations and individuals must take measures to ensure that equipment, tools, or means of transport do not violate the safe discharge distance according to the voltage level specified in the table below, except in cases where organizations or individuals carry out work using appropriate technology or due to urgent national defense or security requirements, they must obtain written agreement from the power unit regarding necessary safety measures:

Article 5. Protection of Safety for Underground Power Cable Routes

1. The project investor, management and operation units of underground power cable routes in land and water shall be responsible for complying with construction laws and corresponding technical standards and regulations, installing warning signs indicating the location of the underground power cable route. Warning signs must have appropriate size, information, and be placed in suitable positions so that organizations and individuals can recognize and comply with traffic laws on roads and inland waterways or port and maritime channel management.

2. Within the safety protection zone of underground power cable routes in inland water areas, anchoring vessels, fishing, and other activities that pose a risk of mechanical impact on the underground power cable route shall not be carried out.

3. When carrying out construction works on the ground, underground, or dredging riverbeds, lakes, or sea areas within the safety protection zone of underground power cable routes, the contractor must notify the management and operation unit of the underground power cable route at least ten days in advance and agree with the grid management unit on measures to ensure the safety of the underground power cable route and construction safety during the process.

4. Organizations and individuals legally using land within the safety protection zone of underground power cable routes in land must take measures to prevent land use activities that affect the underground power cable route, discharge wastewater, and other corrosive substances into the safety protection zone of the underground power cable route.

5. Protection of safety for submarine power cable routes must comply with the provisions of Clause 1 of this Article and the following provisions:

a) The project investor of submarine power cable routes must establish warning signals, protective measures, and implement maritime notifications in accordance with maritime laws;

b) Within the safety protection zone of submarine power cable routes, organizations and individuals may not fish or engage in activities affecting seabed sediment. Within two nautical miles from the outer edge of both sides of the submarine power cable route, non-duty vessels must not anchor, ensuring the safety of the submarine power cable route.

Article 6. Protection of Safety for Electrical Substations

1. The project investor, management and operation units of electrical substations shall be responsible for implementing measures to protect the safety of substations under their management.

2. Land users and tree owners shall be responsible for not allowing houses, structures, or crops on their land to violate the safety protection zone of the substation.

3. In the safety zone of the substation, it is prohibited to gather large crowds, set up tents, sell goods, park vehicles, tether livestock, except for inspection, maintenance, and repair of the substation.

4. Houses and buildings near the safety protection zone of the substation must ensure they do not damage any part of the substation; do not encroach upon the access road to the substation, drainage facilities of the substation, the safety protection zone of the underground power cable route, and overhead power lines of the substation; do not obstruct the ventilation system of the substation; do not allow wastewater to seep in and damage electrical facilities.

5. Access roads to substations with voltages of 110 kV or higher must ensure the movement of rescue, emergency response, and firefighting vehicles when performing tasks.

Article 7. Protection of safety for power plants and other electricity facilities

1. General requirements for protecting the safety of power plants and other electricity facilities

a) Must be strictly protected, surrounded by walls or protective measures to prevent unauthorized persons from entering the power plant and other electricity facilities; safety warning signs must be installed according to the law;

b) Electrical equipment rooms must have hazardous area signs, escape routes, adequate lighting systems, ventilation systems to cool equipment, and air vents must be equipped with animal intrusion protection screens;

c) Depending on the technical characteristics and safety requirements of each type of electrical equipment, protective grids, partitions, and safety warning signs must be installed; it must ensure safe distances from the protective grid or partition to the live parts of the equipment and take measures to minimize the adverse effects of the environment on the operation of electrical equipment;

d) Electrical cable systems within power plants and other electricity facilities must be arranged orderly by type, technical specifications, voltage level, and placed on supports. Cables passing through areas affected by high temperatures must be insulated and run through protective conduits;

đ) Cable trenches and conduits must be covered tightly, have good drainage, be kept clean and dry. Water, oil, chemicals, and debris must not accumulate in cable trenches and conduits. Lighting systems must use safe voltages in accordance with technical standards for electricity and electrical safety;

e) Electrical equipment and lightning protection systems, grounding systems in power plants and other electricity facilities must be installed according to design and inspected upon acceptance and periodically according to technical standards for electrical engineering and electrical safety;

2. Wind power facilities must comply with the provisions of Clause 1 of this Article and the following safety regulations:

a) The investor of wind power facilities has the responsibility to publicly announce the boundary markers of the safety protection zone for wind power facilities;

b) Wind turbine towers and wind turbines must have aviation warning signals according to the law on aviation. Wind blades must have appropriate identification marks;

c) For offshore wind power facilities, the investor is responsible for establishing and maintaining a safety management system to control risks throughout the operations of offshore wind power facilities and implement maritime signaling according to Vietnam's laws on maritime affairs. Within a two-nautical-mile radius from the outer edge of the wind turbine tower, substation, cable bridge, and auxiliary structures of the wind power facility, vessels without authorized tasks may not anchor, ensuring the safety of the wind turbine tower;

d) Organizations and individuals legally using land and water within the safety protection zone of power facilities when carrying out activities on the surface, underground, on water, or underwater within the safety protection zone of power facilities must ensure technical safety for power facilities and reach agreements with the owner of the power facilities regarding technical safety measures for the facilities as prescribed.

Article 8. Responsibilities for coordination in the construction, renovation, repair, or expansion of power facilities and other works

1. When constructing, renovating, repairing, or expanding construction works that may affect power facilities, the investor of the construction work must coordinate with the power unit to implement the following contents:

a) Implement measures to ensure safety for people and construction works;

b) Implement preventive measures to prevent the risk of violating safe clearance distances according to voltage levels or the risk of damaging power facilities, in accordance with the guidance of the power unit;

c) The investor and the construction contractor shall be responsible for compensating for any accidents, incidents, or damage to power facilities caused during the construction, renovation, repair, or expansion of the works, in accordance with the provisions of civil law;

d) In case the investor of the construction, renovation, repair, or expansion of construction works does not coordinate with the power unit as stipulated in point b of this clause, the power unit shall report to the People's Committee of the commune or the competent authority issuing construction permits for handling in accordance with the law.

2. When constructing, renovating, repairing, or expanding charging stations (excluding charging devices/poles installed within the works or parts of the works to serve the convenience of the works and transportation vehicles, other equipment, or personal use):

a) The investor constructing the charging station shall be responsible for designing, constructing, renovating, and expanding the charging station to meet technical standards on electrical engineering, electrical safety, and other related technical standards; ensuring the safe operation of electrical equipment at the charging station; preventing incidents from occurring, not affecting the quality of voltage and frequency of the power grid; not affecting surrounding houses and works; complying with general regulations on electrical safety as stipulated in Article 17 of this Decree;

b) The power grid management unit shall be responsible for coordinating with the investor to provide safe electrical infrastructure for the charging station.

3. When constructing, renovating, repairing, or expanding power facilities that may affect residential buildings or other works, the investor of the power facility shall be responsible for ensuring safety for people, residential buildings, and surrounding works, and shall be responsible for compensating for damages to land users when causing damage to residential buildings and surrounding works, in accordance with the provisions of civil law.

4. When the power unit repairs faults or renovates, repairs, and maintains power facilities and must carry out these activities in areas belonging to the use rights of other organizations or individuals, the land user shall be responsible for facilitating the access of the power unit to inspect, repair, maintain, and resolve faults. The power unit shall have the following responsibilities:

a) Notify the land user about the planned regular maintenance and repair schedule at least five days before implementation;

b) In cases where the power unit needs to immediately access the site to resolve faults, it is permitted to do so while promptly notifying the land user; if unable to notify the land user, it must inform the nearest local authority to coordinate in handling;

c) During the inspection, repair, maintenance, and fault resolution as stipulated in this clause, the power unit shall be responsible for protecting the property of the land user. If damage occurs to the land user, the power unit shall be responsible for compensation in accordance with the provisions of civil law.

5. When constructing, renovating, or upgrading overhead high-voltage power lines passing over residential buildings, works with people living or working inside; market areas, squares, hospitals, schools, fairgrounds, exhibition centers, shopping malls, entertainment areas, ports, bus stations, railway stations; important works related to national security; historical-cultural sites, scenic spots, and tourist attractions ranked by the State, the investor and the power unit must strengthen safety measures for the power lines as follows:

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

b) Within a span, electrical conductors and lightning arresters must not have joints, except for electrical conductors with a cross-sectional area of 240 mm² or more, which are allowed to have one joint per conductor. The safety factor of electrical conductors and lightning arresters must not be less than 2.5;

c) Insulators must be arranged in pairs of the same type and technical characteristics. Electrical conductors and lightning arresters mounted on suspension insulators must use fixed support clamps. The safety factor of insulators and accessories must comply with current standards;

d) The distance from the lowest point of the electrical conductor in its maximum sag to the ground must ensure the safe clearance distance specified in the table below, except in cases of renovating power lines without structural components.

6. Organizations and individuals have the responsibility to promptly report to the power unit or relevant state authorities when discovering unsafe electrical conditions, violations of regulations on protecting power facilities and electrical safety.

7. Power lines installed in shared infrastructure works shall comply with the laws on managing and using shared infrastructure works. Investors constructing, renovating power lines shall coordinate with the investors/managers/users of shared infrastructure works to agree and implement measures to ensure safety for power lines, shared infrastructure works, and communities in accordance with current laws and relevant technical standards and regulations on electrical safety and safety for infrastructure works.

8. Local People's Committees at all levels shall be responsible for directing, resolving, and handling violations concerning the protection of power facilities and violations of the protected safety zones of power facilities in accordance with the law.

Article 9. Safety Protection Zone for Overhead Power Transmission Lines

1. The safety protection zone for overhead power transmission lines is the area surrounding the overhead power transmission lines, limited by length, width, and height as follows:

a) The length of the safety protection zone is measured from the point where the line leaves the protective boundary of this station to the point where it enters the protective boundary of the next station;

b) The width of the safety protection zone 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 wires are in their static state, as specified in the following table:

c) The height of the safety protection zone is measured from the bottom of the pole foundation to the highest point of the structure, plus the vertical safety clearance specified in the following table:

2. The safety protection zone for underground power cables with voltage over 1kV laid on the ground or above ground is limited by 0.5 meters from the outside surface of the outermost cable on all sides.

Article 10. Safety Protection Zone for Underground Power Cables

1. The length of the safety protection zone is measured from the point where the cable leaves the protection range of this station to the point where it enters the protection range of the next station.

2. The width of the protection zone is limited by:

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

b) Two vertical planes at a distance from the outside surface of the cable sheath or the outermost cable on both sides of the underground power cable route, for cables directly placed in soil or water, are specified in the following table:

3. Height is measured from the ground or water surface to:

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

b) Depth lower than the lowest point of the cable sheath is 1.5 meters for cables directly placed in soil or water.

Article 11. Safety Protection Zone for Electrical Substations

1. For electrical substations without walls or fences, the safety protection zone is a three-dimensional space with a height from the bottom of the pole foundation to the highest point of the structure plus the safety clearance according to the voltage level, and the width is limited by the space around the substation with a distance to the nearest live parts of the substation as specified in the following table:

2. For substations surrounded by walls or fixed fences, the safety protection zone is limited to the outermost point of the foundation or protective wall/fence; the height of the safety protection zone is measured from the deepest foundation of the substation structure to the highest point of the substation plus the discharge safety clearance according to the voltage level as follows:

3. For transformer substations, combined distribution substations, gas-insulated substations, and enclosed substations with metal shells, the safety protection zone is limited to the outer surface of the metal shell part.

Article 12. Safety Protection Zone for Wind Power Projects and Other Power Source Facilities

1. Safety Protection Zone for Wind Power Projects

a) The safety protection zone for wind power projects on land and at sea includes: Safety protection zone for wind turbine towers; safety protection zone for underground or overhead power cables from the wind turbine tower to the substation; safety protection zone for the substation and safety protection zone for the transmission and distribution lines of the wind power project to the connection point, and safety protection zones for other auxiliary facilities of the wind power project;

b) The safety protection zone for wind turbine towers is the area around the wind turbine tower, limited by a hemisphere with its center at the center of the tower base, with a radius equal to the maximum distance from the center of the tower base to the outer edge of the wind turbine blade.

2. Based on the development situation of power source projects at different periods, the Ministry of Industry and Trade shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors, and provincial People's Committees to develop and submit to the Government for issuance regulations on safety protection zones for other power source facilities.

Article 13. Safe distances at intersections between overhead power lines and traffic routes

1. At sections where overhead power lines intersect with railways, the minimum height of the power line at its lowest point when the line is in its maximum sag state shall be 4.5 meters plus the safe discharge distance according to the voltage level specified in Clause 5 of this Article.

In cases where the highest point on a transport vehicle exceeds 4.5 meters, the owner of the vehicle must contact the high-voltage power grid management unit to implement necessary safety measures.

2. At sections where overhead power lines intersect with electrified railways, the minimum height of the power line at its lowest point when the line is in its maximum sag state shall be 7.5 meters plus the safe discharge distance according to the voltage level specified in Clause 5 of this Article.

3. At sections where overhead power lines intersect with roads, the vertical distance from the highest point of the road surface to the lowest point of the power transmission line above the road shall not be less than the clear height of the road according to road laws plus the safe discharge distance according to the voltage level specified in Clause 5 of this Article.

In cases where the highest point on a transport vehicle exceeds the distance specified in this Clause, the owner of the vehicle must contact the high-voltage power grid management unit to implement necessary safety measures.

4. At sections where overhead power lines intersect with inland waterways, the minimum height of the power line at its lowest point when the line is in its maximum sag state shall be the clear height according to the technical grade of the inland waterway as stipulated by inland waterway laws plus the safe discharge distance according to the voltage level specified in Clause 5 of this Article. Waterway transport vessels passing through the intersection between overhead power lines and inland waterways must ensure their height does not exceed the clear height according to the technical grade of that inland waterway.

The safe distance for overhead power lines crossing marine transportation routes is defined for specific cases.

5. The safe discharge distance according to voltage levels at intersections with traffic routes is set forth in the following table:

Article 14. Use of land within the safety protection zone of power facilities

1. Users of land within the safety protection zone of power facilities are responsible for complying with the provisions of Clauses 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8 of Article 68 of the Electricity Law.

2. In cases where using land within the safety protection zone of power facilities affects the safety of power facilities, the land user must cooperate with the power company to implement remedial measures as follows:

a) Implementing remedial measures to ensure houses and structures meet the requirements set out in Article 16 of this Decree;

b) The implementation of remedial measures must be carried out immediately upon notification by the power company. The costs of implementing remedial measures under point a of this Clause shall be borne by the investor of the subsequent construction project;

c) Construction and renovation of houses and structures within the safety protection zone of power facilities must comply with the provisions of Clause 4 of Article 8 of this Decree. Costs for renovating power facilities shall be borne by the investor of the house construction and renovation project.

3. In cases where the safety protection zone of power facilities overlaps with the safety protection zones of other facilities, the demarcation of management boundaries shall follow the principle below:

a) In cases of overlap with railway safety zones, the demarcation of management boundaries shall prioritize the arrangement of safety zones for railways. Management and use of railway safety zones shall not affect the safe operation of power facilities;

b) In cases of overlap with inland waterway safety protection zones, management and use of inland waterway safety protection zones shall not affect the safe operation of power facilities;

c) For power facilities located within the scope of dike protection according to the Law on Dikes or where the safety protection zone overlaps with the dike safety protection zone, the demarcation of management and use of land shall be implemented according to the principle of prioritizing the implementation of dike protection laws;

d) In cases where power facilities run alongside roads or have overlapping safety protection zones with road safety zones, the later constructed facility must take measures to ensure the safety of the earlier constructed facility. Management and use of road safety zones shall not affect the safe operation of power facilities;

đ) At locations where power facilities overlap or intersect, the safety zone of power facilities shall be determined based on the facility with higher technical grade; adjacent facilities shall determine their safety zones based on the facility with higher voltage level.

4. People's Committees at all levels within their scope of duties and powers are responsible for leading and coordinating with investors of power facilities to establish and implement plans for land clearance, relocation, resettlement, compensation for land and property losses according to land laws; managing and protecting areas reserved for projects and safety zones of power facilities.

Article 15. Trees within and outside the safety protection corridor for overhead high-voltage power transmission lines

1. Trees within the safety protection corridor for overhead high-voltage power transmission lines

a) For overhead power transmission lines with voltage up to 35 kV in cities, towns, and townships, the distance from any point on the tree to the power line at its maximum sag shall not be less than the distance specified in the following table:

b) For overhead power transmission lines with voltage from 110 kV to 500 kV in cities, towns, and townships, the distance from any point on the tree to the lowest power line at its maximum sag shall not be less than the distance specified in the following table, except in special cases where technical measures ensuring safety are taken and approved by the People's Committee of the province.

c) For overhead power transmission lines outside cities, towns, and townships, the distance from the highest point of the tree vertically to the height of the lowest power line at its maximum sag shall not be less than the distance specified in the following table:

d) Overhead power transmission lines crossing special-use forests, protective forests, and production forests of natural origin within power infrastructure projects must ensure that the vertical distance from the average height of fully grown trees to the lowest power line at its maximum sag is not less than the distance specified in point c of this clause, for trees exceeding the average height of fully grown trees, pruning or reducing the height of the trees may be permitted to ensure safe discharge distance. Pruning or reducing the height of trees must comply with forestry laws.

e) Trees within the safety protection corridor and existing before land acquisition announcements for power grid construction projects that pose a risk of violating the safe discharge distance as specified in points a, b, and c of this clause shall be the responsibility of the power grid project investor to inspect, prune, and compensate according to the law.

2. Trees outside the safety protection corridor for overhead high-voltage power transmission lines

a) The distance from any part of the tree when it falls to any part of the overhead power transmission line shall not be less than the safe discharge distance according to the voltage level specified in the following table:

b) Trees in cities, towns, and townships that do not meet the distance requirement specified in point a of this clause must take technical measures to ensure safety and obtain approval from the People's Committee of the province.

c) Trees existing before land acquisition announcements for power grid construction projects that pose a risk of violating the safe discharge distance as specified in point a of this clause shall be the responsibility of the power grid project investor to inspect, prune, and compensate according to the law.

3. Rice and other crops can only be planted at least 0.5 meters away from the edge of the foundation of power poles and anchors.

4. Land users and owners of trees have the responsibility to regularly inspect and promptly prune parts of trees that pose a risk of violating the safe discharge distance according to the voltage level of overhead power transmission lines.

5. Power units have the responsibility to regularly inspect the safety protection corridor for overhead power transmission lines under their management, and upon discovering a risk of trees violating the safe discharge distance according to the voltage level of overhead power transmission lines, they must promptly report, guide, and cooperate with land users and tree owners to prune parts of trees that pose a risk to ensure safety for people, equipment, and power infrastructure. In cases where land users and tree owners fail to prune the violating parts of trees as stipulated in Clause 4 of this Article, the power unit shall report to local People's Committees at all levels to handle the pruning to ensure safety.

Article 16. Conditions for houses and construction works to exist within and near the safety protection corridor of overhead power transmission lines

1. Houses and construction works existing within the safety protection corridor of overhead power transmission lines with voltage up to 220 kV must meet the following conditions:

a) The roof covering and enclosing walls must be made of non-combustible materials and ensure safe construction structure;

b) They shall not obstruct access for inspection, maintenance, repair, and replacement of parts of the power grid infrastructure;

c) The distance from any part of the house or construction work to the nearest power line when the line is at its maximum sag shall not be less than the safe distance specified in the table below:

d) For overhead power transmission lines with 220 kV voltage, in addition to meeting the conditions stipulated in points a, b, and c of this clause, they must also satisfy the requirement that the electric field intensity is less than 5 kV/m at any point outside the house 1 meter above ground level and less than or equal to 1 kV/m at any point inside the house 1 meter above ground level; metallic structures of the construction work must be properly grounded in accordance with relevant technical standards and regulations.

2. Houses and construction works where people live and work near the safety protection corridor of overhead power transmission lines with voltage of 500 kV or higher must ensure that the electric field intensity is less than 5 kV/m and metallic structures of the construction work must be properly grounded in accordance with relevant technical standards and regulations.

3. Houses and construction works serving household activities of families and individuals that do not need to be relocated from the safety protection corridor of overhead high-voltage power transmission lines with voltage up to 220 kV as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article, the owners of such houses and construction works serving household activities shall be compensated and supported for the limitation of usability and impact on daily life. The compensation and support shall be implemented once as follows:

a) Houses and construction works serving household activities having part or all of their area located within the safety protection corridor of overhead high-voltage power transmission lines, constructed on land meeting the conditions for land compensation according to the laws on land before the date of the land recovery notice issued by the competent authority, the owner of the house and construction works serving household activities shall be compensated and supported for the area within the safety protection corridor of overhead high-voltage power transmission lines. The specific amount of compensation and support shall be determined by the People's Committee of the province based on the actual situation in the locality;

b) In cases where houses and construction works serving household activities are built on land not meeting the conditions for land compensation according to the laws on land, the People's Committee of the province shall consider and provide support based on the actual conditions of each locality;

c) Houses and construction works existing within the corridor but not meeting the conditions stipulated in point a, Clause 1 of this Article, the People's Committee of the province shall direct relevant agencies to consider supporting improvements to meet the conditions stipulated in point a, Clause 1 of this Article;

d) In cases where houses and construction works cannot be improved to meet the conditions stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article and must be demolished or relocated, the owner of the house and construction works shall be compensated and supported according to the laws on land.

4. Houses and construction works serving household activities of families and individuals located near the safety protection corridor and between two overhead power transmission lines with 500 kV voltage, with a horizontal distance between the outermost conductors of the two lines being less than or equal to 60 meters, the owner of the house and construction works serving household activities may choose one of the following two handling methods:

a) Be compensated and supported for relocation as provided for houses and construction works located within the safety protection corridor that must be cleared according to the laws on compensation, support, and resettlement when the state recovers land;

b) If there is no need for relocation, a written request to remain must be submitted to the People's Committees at various levels where the house and construction works are located within 15 days from the date of the land recovery notice issued by the competent authority for the construction of a new 500 kV power line and be compensated and supported for the reduction in land usability as provided for land within the safety protection corridor of the project according to the laws on land.

Chapter III

 ELECTRICAL SAFETY

Article 17. General Provisions on Electrical Safety

1. The project investor of power facilities, the operation management unit, construction, repair, and renovation units of power facilities, and activities using electricity for production shall be responsible not only for complying with the provisions stipulated in Article 69 of the Electricity Law but also for adhering to the following electrical safety regulations:

a) Having complete internal rules, procedures, operational logs, and management files on electrical safety based on national technical standards for electrical safety;

b) Having complete electrical grid diagrams, personal protective equipment, warning signs, and safety signs in accordance with the regulations;

c) Workers assigned to construction, repair, renovation, management, and operation of electrical systems and power facilities; testing and inspecting electrical equipment; conducting experiments, trials, installation, maintenance, and repair of overhead power lines or electrical equipment must be trained in relevant vocational and technical skills and must be trained and issued an electrical safety card in accordance with the law;

d) Using conductors and electrical equipment that meet product quality requirements and are suitable for technical standards and related legal regulations;

e) Organizing or participating in the dissemination of laws, knowledge, and skills related to electrical safety;

f) Implementing statistics and reporting on electrical accidents and incidents according to the provisions of Article 20 of this Decree.

2. The project investor or the operation management unit of substations shall be responsible for measuring and mapping the electric field strength according to technical standards for electrical safety. In areas where the electric field strength is 5 kV/m or higher, the regulations on permissible working time within a workday shall be applied as prescribed.

Article 18. Warning Signs, Safety Signs, and Warning Signals for Electrical Safety

1. The project investor and the operation management unit of power facilities shall be responsible for placing warning signs and safety signs for electrical safety at substations, poles, and intersections between overhead power lines and underground cables with railways, roads, and inland waterways in compliance with technical standards for electrical safety and relevant legal regulations on roads, railways, and inland waterways.

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

a) Poles that are 80 meters or higher;

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

3. At the lowest point of the intersection between overhead power lines with a voltage of 220 kV or higher and inland waterways, there must be appropriate signals for nighttime recognition by waterway traffic.

4. In cases where overhead power lines are located within the airspace near airports, painting poles and installing warning signals must comply with legal regulations on air navigation obstacle clearance.

5. Along underground cable routes in the ground, the project owner must place markers or identification signs for the cable route.

6. Underground cables placed underwater must have signals indicating the location of the cable, in accordance with legal regulations on inland waterway traffic or port and maritime channel management.

7. The form, specifications of safety signs, and the positions for hanging or installing safety signs must comply with technical standards for electrical safety.

Article 19. Handling of electrical accidents and incidents

1. In case of an electrical accident or incident, the power facility operation management unit shall be responsible for handling and restoring the electrical system failure within its duties and authority according to the law, providing first aid, and evacuating people from dangerous areas.

2. In case of a severe electrical accident or incident that constitutes a disaster, the declaration of a state of emergency and the application of response measures shall be carried out in accordance with the law on states of emergency.

Article 20. Reporting System on Electrical Safety and Violations of the Protected Zones of Power Facilities

1. In addition to reporting accidents in accordance with the law on labor safety and hygiene, the power facility operation management unit must report to the superior agency (if any) and the Department of Industry and Trade at the specific locality as follows:

a) Report on fatal electrical accidents within 24 hours from the time of the accident;

b) Report on electrical safety and violations of the protected zones of power facilities annually. The data for the report will be finalized from January 1 to December 31 each year. The report must be submitted before January 10 of the following year.

2. The Department of Industry and Trade shall be responsible for reporting to the People's Committee of the province and the Ministry of Industry and Trade on the situation of electrical safety and violations of the protected zones of power facilities in their jurisdiction annually before January 30 of the following year.

3. The contents of reports under Clause 1 and Clause 2 of this Article shall follow the model attached as Appendix I to this Decree.

Article 21. Responsibilities of Organizations and Individuals Using Electricity for Ensuring Safety in Domestic and Service Purposes

1. The construction and installation of electricity supply systems in residential buildings and structures must comply with technical standards for electricity systems in residential buildings and structures as stipulated by laws on construction and technical standards for electrical engineering as prescribed by laws on electricity.

2. When signing contracts for purchasing electricity for domestic and service purposes, organizations and individuals using electricity must fully register information about the electricity system with the selling party as follows:

a) Total demand for electricity capacity of the residential building or structure based on actual usage;

b) List of equipment and electricity consumption in the residential building or structure;

c) Protective devices against overcurrent for the electricity system in the residential building or structure.

3. Installation and use of electrical equipment and appliances must ensure product quality and comply with the manufacturer's instructions, maintenance, and servicing. During the use of electricity, organizations and individuals have the responsibility to regularly inspect the safety of the electricity supply system from the meter to all wiring and electrical equipment; organize repairs and replacement of wiring and electrical equipment that do not meet standards and quality requirements. When the electricity consumption exceeds the registered capacity, organizations and individuals using electricity must notify the selling party to develop appropriate power supply solutions.

4. In case of a short circuit or fire in the electricity supply system in residential buildings or structures, organizations and individuals using electricity shall have the following responsibilities:

a) Cut off the power, take measures to prevent the spread of fire to other items and equipment in the residential building or structure; carry out rescue operations;

b) Investigate the cause and restore the electricity supply system;

c) In cases where the fault exceeds their ability to handle, they must promptly inform the relevant local authorities, the selling party, and surrounding organizations and individuals to coordinate in handling the situation.

Article 22. Responsibilities of electricity selling units in ensuring safety in the use of electricity for residential and service purposes

1. When signing electricity purchase and sale contracts and supplying electricity to organizations and individuals using electricity for residential and service purposes, they must request organizations and individuals to provide information about the electrical system in houses and buildings and their electricity consumption needs as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 21 of this Decree; they have the responsibility to provide organizations and individuals using electricity with information on risks of losing safety in the use of electricity and measures to ensure electrical safety, specifically as follows:

a) Disseminating and promoting regulations of the law on the responsibilities of organizations and individuals using electricity to ensure safety according to the Electricity Law and Article 21 of this Decree;

b) The exchange of information with organizations and individuals using electricity must be specified in the electricity purchase and sale contract and not limited to forms such as written documents, online applications, and other means of communication.

2. Applying digital technology in providing information to organizations and individuals using electricity about risks of losing electrical safety during the use of electricity:

a) Deploying and providing digital applications to promptly send information to organizations and individuals using electricity when there are incidents on the power grid managed by the power unit or risks of incidents due to storms;

b) Applying digital technology in the work of building guidance materials, promoting, and disseminating knowledge and skills for safe electricity use for organizations and individuals using electricity.

3. Regularly organizing or coordinating with state management agencies at all levels, district People's Committees, and communication units to conduct activities to promote, disseminate, guide, and raise awareness for organizations and individuals to use electricity safely once a year.

4. When requested by competent authorities, electricity selling units have the responsibility to cooperate in inspecting the electrical systems of organizations and individuals using electricity safely; in cases where risks of losing safety are discovered, timely measures to prevent or stop the supply of electricity must be taken according to regulations.

Chapter IV

TRAINING, TESTING, RANKING, AND ISSUING ELECTRICAL SAFETY CARDS

Article 23. Responsibilities for training, testing, and issuing electrical safety cards

1. Persons engaged in construction, repair, renovation, management, operation of electrical systems, power facilities, inspection, testing, installation, repair of power lines, or electrical equipment must undergo training, testing, and be issued an electrical safety card.

2. Employers have the responsibility to organize or hire units with sufficient capacity to organize training, testing, and issuance of electrical safety cards for workers under the category specified in Clause 1 of this Article.

3. Electrical safety training activities can be organized separately or combined with other safety training activities prescribed by law.

Article 24. Content of theoretical training

The content of theoretical training is developed according to specific tasks corresponding to the levels of electrical safety as stipulated in Article 27 of this Decree, including:

1. General training content

a) Legal texts on electrical safety;

b) Diagrams of electrical systems and requirements for ensuring safety in electrical systems;

c) Organizational measures to ensure safety when performing tasks: Surveying and recording the site (if necessary); planning; registering work schedules; organizing work units; working according to Work Order or Work Permit; procedures for permission to work; monitoring safety during work time; procedures for permission to conclude work and restore power;

d) Technical measures to prepare a safe workplace: Disconnecting power and preventing power from returning to the workplace; checking for absence of power; grounding; setting up barriers, establishing a safe work area, hanging warning signs;

đ) Ways to identify and eliminate risks of incidents, hazards, and accidents at the workplace and methods to separate victims from the source of electricity and provide first aid to those injured by electrical accidents;

e) Features, functions, usage, maintenance, and inspection (testing, certification) regulations for safety equipment, tools, and devices suitable for the work of workers.

2. Training content for persons engaged in power line operations

a) Identifying risks and proposing control measures in power line operations;

b) Procedures for operating and handling incidents in power lines;

c) Safety in: Inspecting power lines; working on de-energized or energized power lines; trimming trees within and near the protected areas of power lines; working at heights.

3. Training content for persons engaged in electrical equipment and substation operations:

a) Identifying risks and proposing control measures in substation operations;

b) Procedures for operating, handling incidents, and safety regulations for electrical equipment and substations;

c) Safety in: Inspecting electrical equipment; putting electrical equipment into or stopping operation; working with electrical equipment.

4. Training content for persons engaged in electrical installation work

a) Identifying risks and proposing control measures in electrical installation work;

b) Safety in: Excavating foundations for poles; trenching for underground cables;

c) Safety in: Installing and erecting poles, beams, and supports;

d) Safety in: Spreading and tensioning conductors and lightning arresters;

đ) Safety in: Installing electrical equipment.

5. Training content for persons engaged in electrical testing and inspection work

a) Identifying risks and proposing control measures in electrical testing and inspection work;

b) Procedures for testing and inspection, and safety regulations when using equipment during testing and inspection;

c) Electrical safety in conducting tests and inspections of electrical equipment and tools.

6. Training content for persons engaged in power line and electrical equipment repair work

a) Identifying risks and proposing control measures in power line and electrical equipment repair work;

b) For power lines: Safety in repairing de-energized or energized power lines that operate independently or within the influence zone of other operational power lines;

c) For electrical equipment: Safety while working with each type of electrical equipment.

7. Content of training for personnel engaged in hanging, removing, inspecting, and testing electrical energy measurement systems at installation locations:

a) Identifying hazards and implementing control measures in hanging, removing, inspecting, and testing electrical energy measurement systems;

b) Safety in hanging, removing, inspecting, and testing electrical energy measurement systems at installation locations with or without power.

8. Content of training for system dispatchers:

a) Identifying hazards and implementing control measures in dispatcher work;

b) Relevant procedures related to dispatching, operations, handling incidents, and operating equipment under their control;

c) Safety in operations, incident handling, and transferring lines and electrical equipment under their control between dispatchers and shift supervisors of operation management units.

Article 25. Content of practical training:

1. Methods of using, maintaining, inspecting, testing, and certifying safety equipment, tools, and working devices suitable for workers' tasks.

2. Techniques for separating an electrocuted person from the power source, lowering an injured person from a height, and providing initial first aid for electrical accident victims.

3. Operational procedures related to ensuring safety appropriate to workers' tasks.

4. Organizational and technical measures relevant when performing tasks.

Article 26. Training Organization:

1. Employers and training organizations have the responsibility:

a) To develop training materials, examination questions, and establish training duration suitable for the worker's safety level and job position;

b) To select trainers and examiners who meet the requirements stipulated in Clause 2 of this Article;

c) To organize training, examinations, rank assignments, and issue electrical safety cards to workers after they pass the required criteria. In cases where theoretical or practical examination results do not meet the requirements, retraining must be conducted;

d) To manage and monitor training, examinations, rank assignments, and issuance of electrical safety cards within the unit.

2. Trainers and Examiners for Electrical Safety:

a) Trainers and examiners for theoretical sections must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field and have at least five years of experience in that field;

b) Trainers and examiners for practical sections must hold an associate degree or higher, be proficient, and have at least five years of experience in a relevant field.

3. Forms and Duration of Training and Examination:

a) Training Forms: Theoretical training can be conducted through direct or online methods; practical training is conducted through direct methods;

b) Initial Training: Conducted when new employees are hired. Initial training duration must be at least 24 hours;

c) Periodic Training: Conducted within a maximum period of two years from the date of the last training session. Periodic training duration must be at least eight hours;

d) Retraining: When workers change job positions or safety levels, or there are changes in equipment or technology; when workers fail to meet examination requirements or return to work after a six-month absence. Retraining duration must be at least eight hours.

4. Depending on specific conditions, employers may organize separate electrical safety training according to the contents specified in this Decree or combine it with other occupational safety, health, fire prevention, and firefighting training, or collaborate with other authorized training organizations.

Article 27. Electrical Safety Levels

The electrical safety card is divided into five levels of safety, from Level 1/5 to Level 5/5, with examination results for both theory and practice needing to reach 80% or higher.

1. Requirements for Level 1/5:

a) Initial training results in theory and practice must reach 80% or higher;

b) Have knowledge of general regulations to ensure safety when performing assigned tasks;

c) Use and manage safety equipment, tools, and working devices according to regulations;

d) Have knowledge of first aid for people who have been electrocuted.

2. Requirements for Level 2/5:

a) Understand general regulations and measures to ensure safety when performing assigned tasks;

b) Use and manage safety equipment, tools, and working devices according to regulations;

c) Understand the method of separating the victim from the power source.

d) Have knowledge of first aid for people who have been electrocuted.

3. Requirements for Level 3/5:

a) Requirements as for Level 2/5;

b) Have the ability to identify violations and unsafe behaviors;

c) Have skills to inspect and supervise workers on power lines or electrical equipment.

4. Requirements for Level 4/5

a) Requirements as for Level 3/5;

b) Understand responsibilities and scope of work for each unit participating in the implementation of tasks;

c) Have skills to develop safety measures to perform tasks and organize supervision and monitoring of workers;

d) Have the ability to analyze and investigate electrical accidents.

5. Requirements for Level 5/5:

a) Requirements as for Level 4/5;

b) Have skills to coordinate with other units, lead work, organize the implementation of safety measures, and monitor the execution of tasks.

Article 28. Tasks Performed at Each Electrical Safety Level

1. Level 1/5 can perform the following tasks:

a) Perform tasks that do not involve contact with energized equipment or conductors;

b) Assist in tasks performed by units working on energized equipment or power lines.

2. Level 2/5 can perform the following tasks:

a) Perform tasks of Level 1/5;

b) Work at locations where power has been completely shut off.

3. Level 3/5 can perform the following tasks:

a) Perform tasks of Level 2/5;

b) Work at locations where power has been partially shut off;

c) Directly work with low-voltage energized power lines and electrical equipment;

d) Perform operations on high-voltage grids;

đ) Inspect operating substations and power lines;

e) Issue work permits, direct work, allow units to start work, and supervise units working on low-voltage power lines and electrical equipment.

4. Level 4/5 can perform the following tasks:

a) Perform tasks of Level 3/5;

b) Directly work with high-voltage energized power lines and electrical equipment;

c) Issue work permits, direct work, allow units to start work, and supervise units working on high-voltage power lines and electrical equipment.

5. Level 5/5 performs all tasks within the assigned scope.

Article 29. Electrical Safety Card

1. The electrical safety card is issued in paper or electronic form according to the model attached as Appendix II to this Decree.

2. Employers or organizations conducting training and examinations shall issue the electrical safety card in the following cases:

a) After workers have completed initial training and passed the examination with satisfactory results;

b) When workers change jobs;

c) When workers lose or damage their cards;

d) When workers change their safety level.

3. Use of the card

a) Validity period: From issuance until revocation;

b) During the entire working period, workers must carry and present the Electrical Safety Card upon request by the permit issuer, employer, and authorized persons.

4. Revocation of the electrical safety card

Employers shall revoke the electrical safety cards issued to workers in the following cases:

a) When workers change jobs or no longer continue working at the old organization or unit;

b) Old, damaged, or faded cards or those with illegible characters;

c) Violation of electrical safety procedures and regulations;

d) Upon issuance of a new card.

5. Employers and training organizations are responsible for retaining complete training records for a minimum of two years and producing them when requested by state management agencies.

Chapter V

 HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT SAFETY

Article 30. Classification of Hydropower Projects

Hydropower projects are classified for management purposes to ensure the safe operation of such projects:

1. Particularly important hydropower projects include those falling under any of the following circumstances:

a) Dams with a height of 100 meters or more, or projects with reservoirs as specified in points b and c of this clause;

b) Hydropower reservoirs with a total capacity of 1,000,000,000 cubic meters or more;

c) Hydropower reservoirs with a capacity from 500,000,000 cubic meters to less than 1,000,000,000 cubic meters where the downstream area of the dam is a city, town, industrial zone, or important facilities related to national security;

d) Hydropower plants with installed capacity exceeding 1000 MW.

2. Large hydropower projects include those falling under any of the following circumstances:

a) Dams with a height from 15 meters to less than 100 meters, or water storage projects as specified in point c of this clause;

b) Dams with a height from 10 meters to less than 15 meters and a length of 500 meters or more, or dams with a height from 10 meters to less than 15 meters and a design flood discharge flow rate exceeding 2,000 cubic meters per second;

c) Hydropower reservoirs with a total capacity from 3,000,000 cubic meters to less than 1,000,000,000 cubic meters, except for reservoirs as specified in point c of Clause 1 of this Article;

d) Hydropower plants with installed capacity from over 50 MW to 1000 MW.

3. Medium-sized hydropower projects include those falling under any of the following circumstances:

a) Dams with a height from 10 meters to less than 15 meters, or dams of hydropower reservoirs as specified in point b of this clause, except for dams as specified in point b of Clause 2 of this Article;

b) Hydropower reservoirs with a total capacity from 500,000 cubic meters to less than 3,000,000 cubic meters;

c) Hydropower plants with installed capacity from over 30 MW to 50 MW.

4. Small hydropower projects include those falling under any of the following circumstances:

a) Dams with a height from 5 meters to less than 10 meters;

b) Hydropower reservoirs with a total capacity from 50,000 cubic meters to less than 500,000 cubic meters;

c) Hydropower plants with installed capacity up to 30 MW.

5. Authority to decide on the list of hydropower projects

a) The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall take the lead and coordinate with provincial People's Committees where hydropower projects are located to submit to the Prime Minister for decision on the list of particularly important hydropower projects;

b) The Minister of Industry and Trade shall decide on the list of large, medium, and small hydropower projects constructed across two or more provinces;

c) Provincial People's Committees shall decide on the list of hydropower projects within their jurisdiction, except for projects as specified in points a and b of this clause.

Article 31. Grading of Hydropower Projects

Hydropower projects are graded according to the National Technical Regulations on Hydropower and in compliance with construction laws to serve design, construction, monitoring, safety inspection, maintenance, and repair work of hydropower projects.

Article 32. Operation Procedures for Hydropower Reservoirs

1. Operation procedures for hydropower reservoirs must comply with laws on electricity, water resources, and other relevant laws, and be consistent with approved inter-reservoir operation procedures.

2. The project investor shall prepare the operation procedure for the hydropower reservoir, submit it to the competent state authority for approval before the first water accumulation, and hand it over to the hydropower project operation management unit, relevant state agencies responsible for hydropower, water resources, and disaster prevention and control.

3. Contents of the operation procedure for hydropower reservoirs

a) Legal basis for preparing the procedure, operational principles of the project, key technical parameters, and tasks of the project;

b) Specific provisions on operating sluice gates (if applicable), detailed operation procedures for hydropower reservoirs during flood and drought seasons under normal conditions and in cases of drought, water shortage, salinity intrusion, floods, inundation, waterlogging, water pollution, and emergency situations;

c) Provisions on monitoring regimes and providing specialized hydro-meteorological information according to regulations;

d) Warning procedures when operating sluices under normal conditions and in emergencies, including warning procedures when generating power, which include: minimum advance notice time before opening the first sluice gate; warning signals, timing, and locations; responsibilities of organizations and individuals in issuing, transmitting, and executing sluice gate operation orders; responsibilities of organizations and individuals in issuing, transmitting, receiving, and responding to warnings to close/open sluice gates;

đ) Operation of the reservoir to ensure minimum flow requirements (if applicable);

e) Responsibilities and authorities of the owner, operation management unit of the hydropower project, and other related organizations and individuals in implementing the operation procedure for the hydropower reservoir;

g) Organization of implementation and provisions for amending and supplementing the operation procedure for the hydropower reservoir.

4. Responsibilities for implementing the approved operation procedure for hydropower reservoirs:

a) The hydropower project operation management unit is responsible for operating according to the approved hydropower reservoir operation procedure and inter-reservoir operation procedures; complying with laws on hydropower project safety and water resources; recording hydropower reservoir operations in operation logs in paper form, electronic format, or other specialized software as determined by the project owner;

b) The hydropower project owner is responsible for publicly announcing the approved hydropower reservoir operation procedure; complying with laws on hydropower project safety and water resources; organizing inspections and supervision of the operation management unit's implementation of the hydropower reservoir operation procedure and inter-reservoir operation procedures;

c) The Chairman of the provincial People's Committee is responsible for directing inspections and supervision of the implementation of the hydropower reservoir operation procedure and inter-reservoir operation procedures within their jurisdiction; directing measures to ensure safety and deciding emergency response actions for hydropower projects within their jurisdiction; reporting to the Prime Minister in emergency situations beyond local response capabilities.

d) The Head of the Provincial Civil Defense Command has the responsibility to organize permanent duty, closely monitor rainfall and flood developments, decide on operation plans, issue orders for reservoir operation, and decide on emergency flood discharge operations for hydropower projects within their management jurisdiction and assigned tasks; report to the Head of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee in emergency situations exceeding local response capacity;

đ) The Minister of Industry and Trade has the responsibility to direct and organize inspections of the implementation of reservoir operation procedures and inter-reservoir operation procedures approved by competent state agencies; direct the implementation of emergency response measures, decide on emergency handling measures for hydropower projects within their management jurisdiction; report to the Prime Minister and the Head of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee in emergency situations exceeding the ministry's response capacity;

e) The Head of the National Civil Defense Steering Committee has the responsibility to direct flood prevention and control work in downstream areas of dams within their authority and assigned responsibilities; direct and support emergency response measures when situations exceed the capacity of ministries, sectors, and localities;

Article 33. Documents, Procedures, and Processes for Reviewing and Approving Hydropower Reservoir Operation Procedures

1. Documents for Reviewing and Approving Hydropower Reservoir Operation Procedures

The owner of the hydropower project submits one set of documents requesting approval of the hydropower reservoir operation procedure directly, through postal service, or via online public services to the agency responsible for receiving documents as stipulated in Clause 2 of this Article; bears responsibility for the legality, reliability, and accuracy of all documents used in the hydropower reservoir operation procedure dossier. The dossier includes:

a) A formal letter requesting approval of the hydropower reservoir operation procedure (original);

b) Draft of the hydropower reservoir operation procedure according to Model III attached to this Decree (draft with seal affixed);

c) Detailed report and technical calculation appendix (original);

d) Overall plan of the hydropower project and main layout drawings showing the project and its components (dam, hydropower reservoir, power plant, energy transmission lines) (certified copy);

đ) Written comments from organizations and units managing and operating water reservoirs in the same watershed (certified copy);

e) Report on reviewing the results of hydropower reservoir operation procedure calculations (if available) (certified copy);

g) Other related documents (certified copy).

2. Agencies Receiving Documents and Reviewing Hydropower Reservoir Operation Procedures

a) The Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection Agency receives documents and organizes reviews of hydropower reservoir operation procedures within the Ministry of Industry and Trade's approval authority;

b) The Department of Industry and Trade receives documents and organizes reviews of hydropower reservoir operation procedures within the provincial People's Committee's approval authority;

c) In cases where the provincial People's Committee delegates approval authority to the district People's Committee for hydropower reservoir operation procedures in one district, the district People's Committee assigns a specialized agency under their management to receive documents and review hydropower reservoir operation procedures;

3. Procedure for Reviewing Hydropower Reservoir Operation Procedures

a) Within three working days from the date of receipt of the dossier, the receiving agency examines and checks; if the dossier is not valid, the agency notifies the organization requesting approval of the hydropower reservoir operation procedure in writing to complete it according to regulations;

b) Within thirty days from the date of receipt of a valid dossier, the receiving agency conducts a review and submits it to the competent authority for consideration and approval. If conditions for approval are not met, the agency notifies the owner of the project in writing to supplement and complete the dossier;

4. During the review process, the reviewing agency has the following responsibilities:

a) For hydropower reservoir operation procedures within the approval authority of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the reviewing agency seeks opinions from relevant organizations; submits to the competent authority for opinions from relevant ministries and provincial People's Committees;

b) For hydropower reservoir operation procedures within the approval authority of the provincial People's Committee, the reviewing agency seeks opinions from the district People's Committee and relevant organizations;

c) Relevant ministries, provincial People's Committees, and organizations have the responsibility to submit written opinions within seven days from the date of receipt of the request for opinion from the competent authority reviewing and approving hydropower reservoir operation procedures;

5. The competent authority approving the operation procedures and the owner of the project have the responsibility to publicly announce the hydropower reservoir operation procedures on the electronic portal or website of the approving authority, the owner, the headquarters of the management and operation unit, and the People's Committee of the commune;

6. Documents, Procedures, and Processes for Reviewing and Approving Adjustments to Hydropower Reservoir Operation Procedures:

a) The documents for review and approval include the materials specified in point a, point b, and point c of Clause 1 of this Article;

b) The agency receiving documents as stipulated in Clause 2 of this Article is responsible for examining and reviewing the dossier, submitting it to the competent authority for approval according to the procedures specified in Clauses 3 and 4 of this Article;

7. In cases where the hydropower reservoir operation procedure remains suitable and does not require adjustments or supplements after five years of implementation, the owner of the hydropower project has the responsibility to report to the competent authority approving the hydropower reservoir operation procedure to allow continued use of the hydropower reservoir operation procedure. The competent authority will consider and decide on allowing continued use of the approved hydropower reservoir operation procedure or require the owner to submit for approval of adjustments to the hydropower reservoir operation procedure according to Clause 6 of this Article.

Article 34. Emergency Response Plan

1. The owner and the unit managing and operating hydropower projects shall be responsible for establishing, submitting to the competent state agency for approval, and implementing the emergency response plan after it has been approved.

2. Contents of the emergency response plan

a) Operation scenarios of the reservoir in emergency situations or dam failure;

b) Flood inundation maps of the downstream area in emergency situations or dam failure:

The flood inundation map of the downstream area is constructed, published, and handed over to the owner of the hydropower project in accordance with the laws on dam safety management and water storage.

In areas not yet approved and published by the competent authority, the investor of the hydropower project shall be responsible for surveying and calculating to determine the extent of the downstream area affected and the degree of flooding when the reservoir discharges water according to the procedures, flood discharge in emergency situations or dam failure for the purpose of building the emergency response plan;

c) Emergency situations or dam failure; forecast and response plans;

d) Statistics of affected entities and the degree of impact according to various scenarios;

đ) Regulations on information dissemination, warning, and alarm systems to local authorities, state management agencies, disaster prevention and control organizations, and residents in the affected area;

e) Response plans suitable for each flood situation in the downstream area of the project;

g) Resources for implementing the response plan;

h) Responsibilities of the owner, the unit managing the hydropower project, local authorities at all levels, and related agencies and units.

3. Documents for review and approval of the emergency response plan

The owner of the hydropower project shall submit one set of documents directly, send through postal service, or via the online public service portal to the agency receiving documents as stipulated in Clause 5 of this Article; they shall be responsible for the legality, reliability, and accuracy of the documents used in the emergency response plan dossier. The dossier includes:

a) A request for approval (original copy).

b) Draft of the emergency response plan according to the model form attached as Appendix IV to this Decree (draft stamped);

c) Technical calculation report (certified copy);

d) Written comments from relevant agencies and units (certified copy);

đ) Other related documents (certified copy).

4. Authority to approve the emergency response plan

a) The People's Committee of the province shall approve the emergency response plan for hydropower projects within its jurisdiction. In cases where the hydropower project spans two or more provinces, the People's Committee of the province responsible for issuing orders for reservoir operation shall take the lead in approving the emergency response plan after consulting with the People's Committees of the involved provinces;

b) The People's Committee of the province shall decide on the delegation of the People's Committee of the district to approve the emergency response plan for hydropower projects within its jurisdiction.

5. Agency receiving documents and reviewing the emergency response plan

a) The Department of Industry and Trade shall receive documents and review the emergency response plan for reservoirs under the approval authority of the provincial People's Committee;

b) In cases where the provincial People's Committee delegates the district People's Committee to approve the emergency response plan for hydropower projects within its jurisdiction, the district People's Committee shall assign a specialized agency under its management to receive documents and review the emergency response plan.

6. Procedures and processes for reviewing and approving the emergency response plan

a) Within three working days from the date of receipt of the documents, the receiving agency shall examine and check the documents; if the documents are not valid, the agency shall return the documents to the project owner and notify in writing the reasons for returning the documents;

b) Within twenty days from the date of receipt of valid documents, the receiving agency shall review the plan. If conditions are met, it shall submit to the competent authority for approval; if conditions are not met, the agency shall notify in writing the project owner to complete the documents in accordance with regulations;

c) The approving authority shall approve the emergency response plan within five days from the date of receipt of the documents submitted for approval by the reviewing agency.

7. During the review process, the reviewing agency shall have the following responsibilities:

a) For emergency response plans under the approval authority of the provincial People's Committee, the reviewing agency shall seek opinions from provincial specialized agencies on disaster prevention and control, water resources, and irrigation in the downstream area, the provincial People's Committee in the downstream area, and other related organizations;

b) For emergency response plans under the approval authority of the district People's Committee, the reviewing agency shall seek opinions from specialized agencies on hydropower, disaster prevention and control, and water resources of the province, district People's Committees, and other related organizations;

c) Related agencies and organizations shall submit their opinions in writing within seven days from the date of receipt of the request from the reviewing and approving authority.

8. Dossiers, procedures, and processes for reviewing and approving amendments to the emergency response plan

a) The dossier for approval shall include the documents specified in points a, b, and c of Clause 3 of this Article.

b) The agency receiving documents as stipulated in Clause 5 of this Article shall be responsible for reviewing and submitting to the competent authority for approval in accordance with Clauses 6 and 7 of this Article.

9. In case the emergency response plan remains suitable after five years of implementation without any adjustments or supplements, the owner of the hydropower project shall be responsible for reporting to the competent authority for approval to continue using the emergency response plan. The competent authority will consider and decide on allowing the continued use of the approved emergency response plan or require the owner to submit for approval of amendments to the emergency response plan under Clause 8 of this Article.

Article 35. Flood Control Plan for Dams and Reservoirs of Hydropower Projects

1. The owner and management unit of the hydropower project shall be responsible for establishing and submitting the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects to the competent state management agency for approval, and organizing its implementation after approval.

2. Contents of the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects

a) Topographical characteristics, design parameters, layout plans of the project, boundary markers delineating the protection area of the dam and reservoir;

b) Management, operation, and protection status of the dam and reservoir;

c) Reporting and regular, periodic, and sudden inspection procedures;

d) Regulations on limiting or prohibiting large load-bearing vehicles from circulating within the protected area; fire prevention and firefighting regulations; security measures for storing explosive materials, flammable substances, and hazardous chemicals;

đ) Organization of protective forces and assignment of responsibilities for protecting the hydropower project, equipment supporting protective work;

e) Organization of inspections and controls over people and vehicles entering and exiting the project;

g) Prevention, detection, and blocking of acts infringing upon or damaging the hydropower project and its surrounding areas;

h) Protection and handling when the hydropower project experiences incidents or has potential risks;

i) Resources for implementing the plan;

k) Responsibilities of the owner, management unit of the hydropower project, local authorities at all levels, and related agencies and units.

3. Documents for review and approval of the plan:

The owner of the hydropower project shall submit one set of documents directly, send through postal service, or via the online public service gateway to the agency receiving the documents as stipulated in Clause 4 of this Article; they are responsible for the legality, reliability, and accuracy of the documents used in the emergency response plan application dossier. The dossier includes:

a) Detailed report on the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects according to the model attached as Appendix V to this Decree;

b) General layout drawings of the project and components requiring protection;

c) Other related documents.

4. Agencies receiving documents and reviewing the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects

a) The Department of Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection receives the documents and organizes the review of the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry and Trade for approval;

b) The Department of Industry and Trade receives the documents and organizes the review of the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects within the jurisdiction of the provincial People's Committee for approval;

c) In cases where the provincial People's Committee delegates the approval of the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects in one district to the district People's Committee, the district People's Committee assigns the specialized agency under its management as the agency receiving the documents and reviewing the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects.

5. Procedures and processes for reviewing and approving the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects

a) Within three working days from the date of receipt of the documents, the receiving agency examines and checks; if the documents are not valid, the receiving agency notifies in writing the organization requesting approval of the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects to complete according to regulations;

b) Within twenty days from the date of receipt of valid documents, the receiving agency organizes the review and submits to the competent authority for examination and approval. If the conditions for approval are not met, the receiving agency notifies in writing the organization requesting approval to supplement and complete the documents;

c) The approving authority is responsible for approving the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects within five days from the date of receipt of the documents submitted for approval by the reviewing agency.

6. During the review process, the reviewing agency shall have the following responsibilities:

a) For the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry and Trade for approval, the reviewing agency seeks opinions from relevant organizations and experts; submits to the competent authority for opinions from ministries, provincial People's Committees;

b) For the operation procedures of hydropower reservoirs within the jurisdiction of the provincial People's Committee for approval, the reviewing agency seeks opinions from district People's Committees, relevant organizations, and experts;

c) Relevant agencies and organizations shall send their opinions in writing within seven days from the date of receipt of the request for opinions from the reviewing and approving authority regarding the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects.

7. Contents, documents, procedures, and processes for establishing and approving amendments to the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects shall be implemented in accordance with the provisions of Clauses 2, 3, and 5 of this Article.

8. In case the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects remains suitable after five years of implementation without any adjustments or supplements, the owner of the hydropower project shall be responsible for reporting to the competent authority for approval of the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects to allow continued use of the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects. The competent authority will consider and decide on allowing the continued use of the approved flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects or require the owner to submit for approval of amendments to the flood control plan for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects under Clause 7 of this Article.

Article 36. Scope of Protection for Hydroelectric Power Plant Works

1. The scope of protection for hydroelectric power plant works includes the dam, reservoir, energy transmission line, power plant, substation, other auxiliary works, and adjacent areas.

2. Within the scope of protection for hydroelectric power plant works, activities must ensure that they do not hinder the operation and safety of the works; there must be management routes and flat surfaces for maintenance and handling when incidents occur with the works.

3. The adjacent area is defined as follows:

a) The adjacent area of the dam line has a range calculated from the base of the dam outward. For special class dams, it is at least 300 meters; for Class I dams, it is at least 200 meters; for Class II dams, it is at least 100 meters; for Class III dams, it is at least 50 meters; for Class IV dams, it is at least 20 meters;

b) The adjacent area of the energy transmission line: - In the case of a post-dam type hydropower plant, the adjacent area of the energy transmission line is defined as specified in point a of this clause. - In the case of an open channel type hydropower plant from the water intake to the end of the canal leading to the hydropower plant, the adjacent area of the energy transmission line is calculated from the edge of the excavated or filled slope outward up to a maximum of 5 meters. - In the case of a tunnel type hydropower plant with an open water intake, pressure tower, open pressure pipe, hydropower plant, and canal leading to the hydropower plant, the adjacent area of the energy transmission line is calculated from the edge of the excavated slope outward up to a maximum of 5 meters.

c) The adjacent area of the reservoir has a range calculated from the contour line at the elevation level of the dam crest downward towards the reservoir, excluding the surface area of the lake;

d) The scope of protection for substations and power plants shall be implemented according to the provisions of Article 6 and Article 7 of this Decree.

4. When adjusting the scale or purpose of use of hydroelectric power plant works, the adjacent area must be adjusted in accordance with the provisions of Clause 3 of this Article. The competent authority approving the dam and reservoir protection plan shall approve the adjustment of the adjacent area protection scope.

Article 37. Initial Water Storage Plan

1. Before approving the initial water storage plan, the owner of the hydroelectric power plant is responsible for complying with laws on construction, land, water resources, forestry, and environmental protection. Additionally, the owner of the hydroelectric power plant must comply with laws on the safety of hydroelectric power plant works as follows:

a) The project components and the water-retaining structures have been officially notified by the competent state management agency regarding the inspection results for acceptance and commissioning;

b) The operation procedures for the reservoir, emergency response plans, and dam protection plans have been approved by the authorized authority;

c) Complete investment and installation of equipment for warning operations during water discharge, surveillance cameras, water level monitoring devices, and direct information transmission systems to disaster prevention agencies, industry and trade departments, and water resource management agencies;

d) Ensure a system to maintain minimum flow downstream in compliance with legal provisions on water resources;

đ) Fulfill other responsibilities and obligations as stipulated by relevant laws.

2. The investor of the hydroelectric power plant is responsible for establishing and approving the initial water storage plan according to the model attached as Appendix VI of this Decree, and submitting it to the competent authority for approval of the reservoir operation procedures and People's Committees at all levels in the locality ten days before the initial water storage date.

3. Local People's Committees are responsible for inspecting and supervising the implementation of the initial water storage plan by the investor. If the initial water storage plan approved by the investor of the hydroelectric power plant does not meet the requirements stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article, they shall issue a document requesting the investor to stop implementing the water storage and handle it according to the law.

Article 38. Registration of Dam Safety for Hydroelectric Reservoirs

1. Responsibilities for Registration of Dam Safety for Hydroelectric Reservoirs

a) The owner of the hydroelectric project shall prepare and submit the registration form for dam safety to the competent state agency within thirty days from the date of acceptance for operation.

b) For operating hydroelectric projects that adjust their scale, purpose of use; change ownership, management unit, must adjust the registration form for dam safety and submit to the competent state agency within fifteen days from the date of change.

2. The registration form for dam safety for hydroelectric projects shall be in accordance with Appendix VII of this Decree.

3. The Department of Industry and Trade shall be responsible for receiving the registration forms for dam safety for hydroelectric projects; compiling and building a database on technical parameters, management information of dams and hydroelectric reservoirs within its jurisdiction; reporting to the provincial People's Committee and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Article 39. Monitoring of Hydroelectric Dams and Reservoirs

1. The owner of the hydroelectric dam has the responsibility to install monitoring equipment for hydroelectric dams and reservoirs in accordance with relevant technical standards and laws.

2. Responsibilities of the Management and Operation Unit of Hydroelectric Projects

a) Monitor the hydroelectric dam, reservoir, and related structures according to the design documents and national technical standards to continuously track the safety and stability of the structures.

b) Analyze, evaluate, and process monitoring data; detect abnormal signs to handle promptly; store monitoring records as prescribed.

c) Report to the owner of the hydroelectric project the results of monitoring.

3. Responsibilities of the Owner of Hydroelectric Projects

a) Based on the analysis of monitoring data for hydroelectric dams and reservoirs, the owner of the hydroelectric project shall be responsible for preparing and implementing maintenance and repair plans for hydroelectric dams and reservoirs in accordance with Article 42 of this Decree.

b) Regularly organize inspections, testing, and evaluation of the operational status of monitoring equipment and have timely repair and replacement plans for faulty or substandard equipment.

Article 40. Special Meteorological and Hydrological Monitoring

1. The owner of the hydroelectric project shall ensure funding for special meteorological and hydrological monitoring for hydroelectric dams and reservoirs.

2. The management and operation unit of the hydroelectric project must collect forecast information and special meteorological and hydrological monitoring data in accordance with relevant technical standards and laws on meteorology and hydrology.

3. Content of Special Meteorological and Hydrological Monitoring

a) For hydroelectric projects with flood control gates, it is necessary to monitor rainfall in the watershed, water levels upstream and downstream of the dam; calculate inflow to the reservoir, outflow; forecast inflow to the reservoir, potential increase in reservoir water level.

b) For large hydroelectric projects with free overflow spillways, it is necessary to monitor rainfall in the watershed, water levels upstream and downstream of the dam; calculate inflow to the reservoir, outflow.

c) For medium-sized hydroelectric projects with free overflow spillways, it is necessary to monitor water levels upstream and downstream of the dam, calculate outflow; encourage the application of other provisions under point b of this clause.

d) For small hydroelectric projects with free overflow spillways, it is necessary to monitor water levels upstream and downstream of the dam and at the spillway crest.

4. Monitoring Frequency

a) For dams and reservoirs with flood control gates: Monitor twice a day at 07:00 and 19:00 during the dry season; four times a day at 01:00, 07:00, 13:00, and 19:00 during the flood season; in flood operation mode, the minimum frequency of monitoring and calculation is once every hour, with monitoring four times an hour when the reservoir water level exceeds the designed flood level.

b) For dams and reservoirs with free overflow spillways: Monitor twice a day at 07:00 and 19:00 during the dry season; four times a day at 01:00, 07:00, 13:00, and 19:00 during the flood season when the reservoir water level is below the spillway threshold; once an hour when the reservoir water level equals or exceeds the spillway threshold; four times an hour when the reservoir water level exceeds the designed flood level.

5. The management and operation unit of the hydroelectric project must provide special meteorological and hydrological monitoring information and data and update them on the website of the hydroelectric project management unit in accordance with laws on meteorology and hydrology and the following regulations:

a) For hydroelectric projects with flood control gates and particularly important and large dams with free overflow spillways: Provide special meteorological and hydrological monitoring information and data to the owner, the state management agency for hydropower, disaster prevention agencies at all levels where the hydroelectric project is located, the downstream area of the dam; the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade within their respective jurisdictions; the National Civil Defense Steering Committee in emergency situations.

b) For medium and small hydroelectric projects with free overflow spillways: Provide special meteorological and hydrological monitoring information and data to the owner of the project, the state management agency for hydropower, disaster prevention agencies at all levels where the hydroelectric project is located, the downstream area of the dam.

6. Provision of Information and Reporting

a) The provision of information and reporting shall be carried out through one of the following methods: direct submission, fax, computer network, telephone, wireless communication device (ICOM), or other methods.

b) Documents must be sent to the owner and the management unit of the hydroelectric project for tracking and archiving in the management file.

Article 41. Safety inspection of dams and reservoirs for hydropower plants

1. The initial inspection shall be carried out in the third year from the date of water accumulation in the project or when the reservoir reaches its normal water level.

2. Periodic inspections shall be conducted every five years from the last inspection.

3. Emergency inspections

a) When damage, deterioration, or failure to ensure safety of the dam or reservoir for hydropower plants is discovered;

b) When there is a need for a basis to decide on extending the service life of the project for dams and reservoirs for hydropower plants that have reached their design lifespan or to serve as a basis for repairing and upgrading the dams and reservoirs for hydropower plants;

c) As decided by the competent state agency as stipulated in Clause 4 of this Article.

4. Authority to decide on emergency inspections

a) The Ministry of Industry and Trade decides on emergency inspections for particularly important dams and reservoirs for hydropower plants and those built across two or more provinces;

b) The People's Committee of the province decides on emergency inspections for dams and reservoirs for hydropower plants within its jurisdiction, except for those specified in point a of this clause.

5. Content of safety inspection of dams and reservoirs for hydropower plants

a) For particularly important and large hydropower projects: Inspection and analysis of monitoring data of the dam and reservoir for hydropower plants; investigation and exploration of hidden dangers and defects of the project; inspection of landslide and sedimentation conditions in the reservoir for hydropower plants; inspection of flood discharge capacity of the reservoir for hydropower plants according to current national technical standards and regulations, meteorological and hydrological data, and updated changes in the watershed; evaluation of the quality and safety of the project and reservoir for hydropower plants;

b) For medium and small hydropower projects: Investigation and exploration of hidden dangers and defects of the project; inspection of landslide and sedimentation conditions in the reservoir for hydropower plants; inspection of flood discharge capacity of the reservoir for hydropower plants according to current national technical standards and regulations, meteorological and hydrological data, and updated changes in the watershed; evaluation of the quality and safety of the project and reservoir for hydropower plants.

6. The owner of the hydropower project is responsible for organizing inspections, approving the inspection outline and results in accordance with the provisions of the law; reporting the inspection results to the Department of Industry and Trade for compilation and reporting to the People's Committee of the province where the dam and reservoir for hydropower plants are located and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Article 42. Maintenance, repair, upgrade, and modernization of facilities and equipment

1. Hydropower projects must be maintained, repaired, upgraded, and modernized in accordance with the laws on construction project quality management and maintenance, and other relevant laws.

2. Dams and reservoirs for hydropower plants must be repaired and upgraded to ensure the safety of the project, reservoir, and downstream areas before the annual rainy season in the following cases:

a) Damaged, deteriorated, or failing to ensure safety;

b) Insufficient flood discharge capacity according to technical standards and regulations;

c) Risk of landslides and sedimentation in the reservoir for hydropower plants.

3. It is encouraged to install communication and safety warning devices for the project and downstream areas for medium and small dams and reservoirs with free overflow spillways.

4. The owner of the hydropower project is responsible for ensuring funds for maintenance, repair, upgrade, modernization, installation of operation monitoring systems, communication devices, establishment and implementation of maintenance procedures, and safety warnings for the dam, reservoir, and downstream areas.

Article 43. Inspection and Evaluation of Safety for Dams and Reservoirs of Hydroelectric Power Plants

1. The owner of hydroelectric power plants and the management units operating such plants shall be responsible for:

a) Regularly inspecting and visually observing at the site to promptly grasp the current status of the plant and hydroelectric reservoir;

b) Before each annual rainy season, organizing inspections and evaluations of the safety of the plant and hydroelectric reservoir; implementing proactive measures to prevent, combat, and timely address any damages to ensure the safety of the plant and hydroelectric reservoir;

c) After each annual rainy season, conducting inspections and evaluations to identify any damages; monitoring the development of damages to the plant and hydroelectric reservoir; drawing lessons from disaster prevention and mitigation efforts; proposing measures and plans to repair and rectify damages and deterioration;

d) Immediately after heavy rainfall, floods in the watershed, or strong earthquakes in the area of the hydroelectric plant, inspecting and evaluating the current safety status of the plant and hydroelectric reservoir;

đ) In case of sudden damage to the plant or hydroelectric reservoir, immediately reporting to the owner and competent state agencies, while simultaneously implementing measures to ensure the safety of the plant and hydroelectric reservoir;

2. The contents of inspection and evaluation of dam and hydroelectric reservoir safety include:

a) Evaluating weather and hydrological conditions and forecasting;

b) Results of implementing the annual operation procedures of the reservoir and interconnected reservoirs;

c) The current status of the plant including: Visual inspection of the current status of the plant; analyzing and evaluating the results of plant monitoring; operational status of equipment in various components of the plant;

d) The current status of the hydroelectric reservoir, landslide situations, bank regeneration, and activities within the protected area of the hydroelectric plant;

đ) Inspecting records and the implementation results of recommendations by the plant inspection unit;

e) Maintenance and repair work on the plant;

3. Reporting system for dam and hydroelectric reservoir safety before and after the annual rainy season

a) Before the annual rainy and flood season, the owner of the hydroelectric plant shall report the results of the safety evaluation of the dam and hydroelectric reservoir according to the model attached as Appendix VIII of this Decree to the authority that approves the reservoir operation procedures and the Department of Industry and Trade of relevant provinces. The annual rainy and flood season period in each area is determined according to the laws on disaster forecast, warning, and information dissemination;

b) By December 31 each year, the owner of the hydroelectric plant shall report the current safety status of the dam and hydroelectric reservoir according to the model attached as Appendix IX of this Decree to the authority that approves the reservoir operation procedures and the Department of Industry and Trade of relevant provinces. The data reporting deadline is from January 1 to December 15 each year;

c) The owner of the hydroelectric plant must immediately report to the People's Committee, Civil Defense Command at all levels where there are dams and hydroelectric reservoirs within their jurisdiction and related agencies when emergency situations occur, in accordance with regulations;

Article 44. Installation of Warning Systems for Power Generation Operation and Flood Release Operation

1. The owner of the hydroelectric plant shall be responsible for installing and maintaining stable operation of the information and warning systems for safe power generation operation and flood release operation for the dam and downstream areas in compliance with the following requirements:

a) Installing sirens at the spillway and downstream areas of the power plant for plants located more than 500 meters away from the spillway;

b) Installing warning stations in residential areas downstream of the hydroelectric plant within a minimum radius of 15 kilometers from the dam or coordinating with local authorities to issue warnings through the local public broadcasting infrastructure in downstream areas;

c) The information and warning systems must be equipped with backup power sources to ensure continuous operation for at least 24 hours after the loss of main power supply;

2. Situations for issuing warnings and the content of warnings

a) Warning situations for flood release through the spillway with gates: Opening the first gate; increasing/decreasing flow through one gate; releasing water urgently to ensure plant safety; closing the last gate completely;

b) Warning situations for free-flow spillways: When water starts or stops flowing over the spillway;

c) Warning situations for power generation operation: Starting the first generator; completely stopping power generation;

3. Depending on the location of the hydroelectric plant and the topography of the downstream area of the dam, the Civil Defense Command of the district and the People's Committee of the commune have the responsibility to coordinate and unify with the owner of the hydroelectric plant regarding the installation content of the information and warning systems for safe operation. The unified contents include:

a) Installation locations;

b) Warning equipment installed at each location;

c) Situations requiring warnings;

d) Timing of warnings;

đ) Forms of warnings;

e) Rights and responsibilities of each organization and individual related to warnings;

4. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall stipulate technical requirements for the information and warning systems for power generation operation and flood release operation as provided in Clause 1 of this Article.

Article 45. Installation of Operation Monitoring Systems

1. The project investor and the operation management unit of hydropower works shall be responsible for:

a) Installing and maintaining the stable operation of surveillance cameras, water level monitoring equipment, and online data transmission systems in accordance with the laws on water resources and updating data into the database on hydropower works operation;

b) Installing water gauges or similar devices to determine downstream dam water levels; in cases where there is a meteorological and hydrological observation station downstream of the dam, information on downstream water levels from this station may be utilized instead of water gauges or similar devices.

2. The owner of hydropower works shall be responsible for coordinating with the Provincial Civil Defense Command Board and the People's Committee of the district to decide on the installation location of water gauges or similar devices.

Article 46. Archiving Hydropower Works Records

1. The establishment and archiving of records related to investment, construction, and acceptance of hydropower works shall be carried out in accordance with the laws on archiving and construction.

2. The responsibility for archiving records related to the management of hydropower works safety lies with the owners and the operation management units of hydropower works, who shall:

a) Archive records approved by competent state agencies and records related to the management and operation of hydropower reservoirs in accordance with the laws on archiving;

b) Follow the archiving forms prescribed by the laws on archiving and must have electronic archives.

Article 47. Personnel for Hydropower Dam and Reservoir Safety Management

1. The project investor and the operation management unit of hydropower works shall be responsible for arranging personnel with appropriate expertise to manage the safety of hydropower dams and reservoirs according to the following requirements:

a) For particularly important hydropower works and reservoirs, at least three persons with university degrees in civil engineering, hydropower engineering, or equivalent fields, with at least five years of experience in managing and operating hydropower dams and reservoirs;

b) For large hydropower works and reservoirs, at least two persons with university degrees in civil engineering, hydropower engineering, or equivalent fields, with at least three years of experience in managing and operating hydropower works and reservoirs;

c) For medium and small hydropower works and reservoirs, at least one person with a university degree or two persons with college degrees in civil engineering, hydropower engineering, or equivalent fields, with at least two years of experience in managing and operating hydropower works and reservoirs.

2. The project investor and the operation management unit of hydropower works shall be responsible for organizing regular training and upgrading knowledge and skills about hydropower dam and reservoir safety management for personnel involved in such work within a minimum period of once every two years.

3. Persons authorized to issue orders for hydropower reservoir operations and heads or deputy heads of departments responsible for the operation management of hydropower works must undergo regular training and upgrading of knowledge and skills about hydropower dam and reservoir safety management by competent state management agencies at least once every two years.

4. The content of training and upgrading knowledge about hydropower dam and reservoir safety management includes:

a) Legal provisions on hydropower dam and reservoir safety management;

b) Implementation procedures for hydropower reservoir operation processes, protection plans for hydropower dams and reservoirs, emergency response plans;

c) Measures for managing, operating, and ensuring the safety of hydropower works in accordance with the law.

5. State agencies responsible for approving hydropower reservoir operation procedures shall be responsible for coordinating with the owners and operation management units of hydropower works to organize regular training and upgrading of knowledge and skills about hydropower dam and reservoir safety management for the subjects mentioned in Clause 3 of this Article.

6. Annually, the Ministry of Industry and Trade shall be responsible for guiding the framework of training materials, forms of training and upgrading knowledge and skills about hydropower dam and reservoir safety management for the subjects mentioned in Clause 3 of this Article.

Article 48. Responsibility for inspecting dam safety assessment work and hydropower reservoirs before the annual rainy season

1. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall be responsible for organizing inspections of dam safety assessment work and hydropower reservoirs of owners of particularly important hydropower projects and hydropower projects spanning two or more provinces, and reporting on such inspections.

2. Provincial People's Committees shall be responsible for organizing inspections of dam safety assessment work and hydropower reservoirs of owners of hydropower projects within their respective provinces, except for those specified in Clause 1 of this Article, and reporting to the Ministry of Industry and Trade on the results of such inspections.

3. The inspection authorities specified in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article shall be responsible for ensuring funding from the state budget and other lawful sources for conducting inspections and safety assessments of dams and hydropower reservoirs in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Article 49. Requirements for Safety of Hydropower Projects and Reservoirs in Activities Within the Protected Area

1. Within the protected area of hydropower dams and reservoirs, activities must ensure that they do not hinder operation and meet the following safety requirements for hydropower projects:

a) Compliance with laws on construction, environmental protection, water resources, land, minerals, and other relevant laws;

b) Not affecting the protected area of hydropower dams; measures must be taken to eliminate the risk of encroachment into the protected area of hydropower dams and intake structures;

c) Not causing landslides along the banks of hydropower reservoirs, sedimentation in the reservoir bottom, or impacting the reservoir bottom sediment;

d) Cooperating with the management and operation units of hydropower projects in ensuring the safety of dams and hydropower reservoirs.

2. Authorities responsible for examining investment proposals, reviewing basic design, reviewing construction designs implemented after the basic design, reviewing environmental impact reports, issuing environmental permits, or granting permits for projects and activities within the protected area of hydropower projects, as stipulated by law, shall consider factors affecting the safety of hydropower projects and seek written opinions from the owners of hydropower projects and provincial Departments of Industry and Trade regarding the impact of the proposed projects and activities on hydropower projects, and require organizations and individuals to take measures to ensure the safety of hydropower projects and reservoirs in accordance with the law.

3. Organizations and individuals implementing activities within the protected area of hydropower projects and reservoirs shall comply with regulations on the safety of hydropower projects and reservoirs and notify in writing the management and operation organizations of hydropower projects about such activities within the protected area, and cooperate with these organizations during the operation of hydropower reservoirs.

4. Existing facilities within the protected area of hydropower projects that do not affect the safety and service capacity of hydropower projects may continue to be used but shall not be expanded in scale.

5. Existing facilities within the protected area of hydropower projects that affect the safety and service capacity of hydropower projects must implement remedial measures according to the requirements of local state management agencies; if remediation is not possible, they must be demolished or relocated.

Article 50. The System of Databases for the Operation of Hydropower Projects

1. The system of databases for the operation of hydropower projects to manage, operate, update, and exploit hydropower information nationwide shall be guaranteed funding for its operation by the State.

2. Basic components of the system:

a) Information technology infrastructure is a system of equipment serving the production, transmission, collection, processing, storage, and exchange of digital information, including the Internet network, computer networks, computing devices (servers, workstations), network connection devices, security devices, peripheral devices, and auxiliary devices.

b) The database for the operation of hydropower projects includes main information fields: Main technical specifications of the hydropower project; Reservoir water level, downstream water level after the dam; discharge flow through the power plant; discharge flow over the spillway; minimum flow discharge.

c) Software of the system of databases for the operation of hydropower projects.

3. Exploitation and use of hydropower information and data

a) The exploitation and use of hydropower information and data must comply with the provisions of laws on access to information and other relevant laws;

b) The management and operation agencies of the system of databases for the operation of hydropower projects decide on the permissions for accessing, exploiting, and using the system of databases for the operation of hydropower projects;

c) The management agency of the system of databases for the operation of hydropower projects shall not share or provide information that affects national security, business secrets of enterprises, personal information of users, except in cases serving investigative activities, verification, and handling of violations of the law and serving state management work of competent authorities.

4. Responsibilities for building, managing, maintaining, and operating the system of databases for the operation of hydropower projects.

a) The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall build the infrastructure and operate the system of databases for the operation of hydropower projects; carry out data management activities, data sharing, and database exploitation; organize surveys, collection, compilation, and updating of electricity information data; guide related agencies and organizations to provide data and data categories for state agencies to exploit and use; manage, use, and provide data according to the levels of data sharing; ensure funding for the construction, upgrading, and operation of the system of databases for the operation of hydropower projects from the state budget annually and other legitimate sources in accordance with the law;

b) Provincial Departments of Industry and Trade and related agencies and units shall provide, share, and update hydropower information and data as prescribed by this Decree into the system of databases for the operation of hydropower projects;

c) Units managing and operating hydropower projects shall be responsible for updating information and figures about the operation of hydropower projects into the system of databases for the operation of hydropower projects;

d) The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall cooperate with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to gradually integrate the system of databases for the operation of hydropower projects with the national database on water resources to serve common state management work on hydropower, water resources, irrigation, and disaster prevention.

5. The Minister of Industry and Trade shall stipulate regulations on the management, operation, and use of the system of databases for the operation of hydropower projects.

Chapter VI

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 51. State Management Responsibility for Protecting Power Engineering Works and Safety in the Electricity Sector

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

a) Issue or submit to competent state agencies for issuance and implementation of plans, policies, and regulatory legal documents on protecting power engineering works, electricity safety, and safety of hydropower projects according to their authority;

b) Take the lead and coordinate with ministries, sectors, and localities in managing the state's responsibility for protecting power engineering works, electricity safety, and safety of hydropower projects;

c) Review and approve operation procedures for reservoirs of hydropower projects and protection plans for dams and reservoirs of hydropower projects within their authority;

d) Inspect and supervise compliance with laws on protecting power engineering works, electricity safety, and safety of hydropower projects; identify and handle violations according to the law;

đ) Build, manage, and operate a database system on the operation of hydropower projects;

e) Organize information dissemination, education to enhance community awareness about dam and hydropower reservoir safety; implement the national program on electricity usage safety; organize training and update knowledge on managing dam and hydropower reservoir safety;

g) Allocate annual budget funds for tasks related to managing dam and hydropower reservoir safety within their management authority as stipulated in this Decree and relevant laws;

2. The Ministry of Science and Technology shall be responsible for leading the review and announcement of national standards on electricity safety; safety of hydropower projects upon the proposal of the Ministry of Industry and Trade;

3. The Ministry of Construction shall be responsible for building, issuing, or submitting to competent authorities for issuance of national standards and national technical regulations on electrical systems in residential buildings and construction projects according to construction laws;

4. Ministries and agencies at the ministerial level within their assigned tasks and powers shall be responsible for coordinating with the Ministry of Industry and Trade in managing the state's responsibility for protecting power engineering works, electricity safety, and safety of hydropower projects;

5. Provincial People's Committees and People's Committees of centrally governed cities shall be responsible for:

a) Managing the state's responsibility for protecting power engineering works, electricity safety, and safety of hydropower projects within their jurisdictional areas;

b) Building and issuing regulations on managing electricity usage safety; implementing the national program on electricity usage safety;

c) Reviewing and approving or delegating to subordinate administrative agencies under their management authority to review and approve operation procedures for hydropower reservoirs, emergency response plans, and protection plans for dams and hydropower reservoirs within their management authority;

d) Building and issuing compensation and support regulations for households and individuals whose residences or constructions fall under the cases specified in Clause 3 and Clause 4, Article 15 of this Decree;

đ) Identifying, preventing, and promptly handling cases where construction projects encroach, occupy, or illegally use power transmission line protection zones and construction project protection areas;

e) Guiding, disseminating, and organizing the implementation of regulatory legal documents on protecting power engineering works, electricity safety, and safety of hydropower projects within their jurisdictions;

g) Organizing inspections, supervisions, and administrative violation handling regarding protecting power engineering works, electricity safety, and safety of hydropower projects within their jurisdictions;

h) Allocating annual budget funds from local sources for tasks related to managing dam and hydropower reservoir safety within their management authority as stipulated in this Decree and relevant laws;

i) Organizing training and updating knowledge on managing dam and hydropower reservoir safety;

6. District People's Committees shall be responsible for:

a) Managing the state's responsibility for protecting power engineering works, electricity safety, and safety of hydropower projects within their management authority;

b) Organizing reviews and approvals of operation procedures for hydropower reservoirs, emergency response plans, and protection plans for dams and hydropower reservoirs according to the delegation of provincial People's Committees.

Article 52. Transitional Provisions

1. For the operation procedures of hydroelectric reservoirs, dam protection plans, and emergency response plans for hydroelectric reservoirs that have been approved before this Decree takes effect, they shall continue to be implemented until re-approved.

2. For the operation procedures of hydroelectric reservoirs, dam protection plans, and emergency response plans for hydroelectric reservoirs that have been submitted to competent authorities for approval before this Decree takes effect, they shall continue to be reviewed and issued according to Decree No. 114/2018/NĐ-CP dated September 4, 2018, of the Government on management of dam safety and water storage reservoirs.

3. For small hydroelectric power plants with dams higher than 5 meters but less than 10 meters or with reservoir capacity from 50,000 cubic meters to less than 500,000 cubic meters that were put into operation before this Decree takes effect, the owners of the hydroelectric power plants shall be responsible for establishing and submitting to competent state authorities for review and approval the operation procedures of hydroelectric reservoirs, dam protection plans, and emergency response plans within a maximum period of two years from the date this Decree takes effect.

4. For small hydroelectric power plants with dams lower than 5 meters or reservoir capacity less than 50,000 cubic meters, the investors of the hydroelectric power plants shall be responsible for self-approving and bearing responsibility for the operation procedures, dam protection plans, emergency response plans, and safety management measures for dams, hydroelectric reservoirs, and downstream areas in accordance with the provisions of the Electricity Law and other relevant laws.

5. Organizations and individuals implementing projects, production, and business activities within the protected zones of dams and hydroelectric reservoirs before this Decree takes effect must ensure compliance with the requirements for dam and hydroelectric reservoir safety stipulated in Clause 1 of Article 47 of this Decree in order to continue their operations.

Article 53. Effective Date

1. This Decree takes effect from the date of issuance.

2. The following Decrees shall cease to be effective from the date this Decree takes effect:

a) Decree No. 14/2014/NĐ-CP dated February 26, 2014, of the Government detailing the implementation of the Electricity Law on electrical safety;

b) Decree No. 51/2020/NĐ-CP dated April 21, 2020, of the Government amending and supplementing certain articles of Decree No. 14/2014/NĐ-CP dated February 26, 2014, of the Government detailing the implementation of the Electricity Law on electrical safety.

Article 54. Implementation Organization

1. Ministries and provincial People's Committees shall be responsible for guiding the implementation of the Articles and Clauses assigned in this Decree and reviewing issued documents to amend, supplement, or replace them in accordance with the provisions of this Decree so that they take effect concurrently with this Decree.

2. Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government-affiliated agencies, Chairpersons of provincial People's Committees under central cities, and related agencies, organizations, and individuals shall be responsible for implementing this Decree.