Ho Chi Minh City authorities and energy officials outlined new regulatory procedures on September 9, 2026, under Decree 243/2026/NĐ-CP, detailing streamlined notification timelines, higher surplus electricity sale limits, and expanded local capacity for rooftop solar power systems.
Property owners and businesses looking to install rooftop solar in Ho Chi Minh City now face a clearer administrative path under updated national regulations. Representatives from the Cục Điện lực (Bộ Công Thương) detailed the changes on September 9 at a joint conference with city trade officials, addressing how Decree 243 reshapes self-production and self-consumption frameworks.
Notification Rules and the Ten-Day Installation Window
The updated framework establishes a predictable timeline for project deployment. Under the new guidelines, individuals and organizations required to submit notifications must transmit their project details online to the receiving agency at least ten working days before starting installation.
Within three working days of receiving that notice, the intake agency forwards electronic copies to municipal divisions handling construction, fire prevention, environmental oversight, and grid management. If the local grid operator determines that a proposed system risks overloading local transformers, low-voltage lines, or distribution networks, it must object within three working days. The receiving agency then orders the project developer to pause installation or operation.
Conversely, if ten working days pass without agency feedback, developers can move forward with their installation according to their submitted plans and relevant laws.
Expanded Surplus Power Sales Through 2030
One of the most consequential shifts in the updated decree involves selling excess electricity back to the grid. While regulations typically cap surplus sales at 50 percent of total output generated at the system’s output terminal, Decree 243 introduces flexibility for the remainder of the decade.
Buyers and sellers can negotiate higher ratios—reaching 60, 70, 80, or even 100 percent—through December 31, 2030, provided local grid capacity allows for safe, stable operations.
For households entering the electricity market, the revised rules remove administrative hurdles. Families selling surplus power do not need to register as commercial business households, lowering the barrier to entry for residential generators.
Ho Chi Minh City Rooftop Solar Adoption Figures
Local energy statistics illustrate steady growth across the municipality. Ho Chi Minh City officials report that rooftop solar began expanding significantly around 2020, supported by successive regulatory updates.
Administrative Decentralization and Digital Tracking Proposals
The conference also addressed bureaucratic bottlenecks at the local level. Decree 243 decentralizes document processing, shifting the intake of most notifications and registrations down to commune, ward, and special district people's committees.
To streamline interactions further, utility leadership proposed implementing digital tracking tools. Customers would be able to check application statuses directly through mobile apps and company websites, aligning local agency oversight with utility infrastructure management.
