Electricity workers repairing the power lines in Lao Cai city, the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - The GovernmentInspectorate on May 24 announced a 35-day probe of the controversial electricityprice hike.
Bui Ngoc Lam, Deputy Inspector Generalof the Government Inspectorate, said it would look into the “observance oflegal regulations” in the price hike that took effect from March 20 this year,as well how an 8.36 percent rise was chosen.
The 12-member inspection team will be madeup of officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry andTrade, led by inspector Le Quang Tiep, deputy head of economiccomplaints and denunciations department.
Tiep previously headed the inspection into theillegal acquisition of pay TV firm AVG by State-owned telecomoperator MobiFone at a price much higher than the market value.
Lam asked State-owned power company VietnamElectricity (EVN), which has a monopoly over power distribution and prices, andthe ministries to work closely with the inspection team during the probe.
Earlier, the Ministry of Industry and Trade saidthe tariff increase should have taken place a year previously,if not for the Government’s commitment to contain inflation, but many peoplehave complained that their monthly bills are abnormally high.
EVN has attributed the significant increase inpower bills to the timing of the price hike in late March, with hot spellsleading to temperatures climbing above 37 degrees Celsius in many regionsacross the country, which led to greater usage of air-conditioners andfans.
Responding to public outcry, earlier this month,Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked Government Inspectorate, the Ministry ofFinance and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to investigate the price hikeand report back in June.-VNA
Bui Ngoc Lam, Deputy Inspector Generalof the Government Inspectorate, said it would look into the “observance oflegal regulations” in the price hike that took effect from March 20 this year,as well how an 8.36 percent rise was chosen.
The 12-member inspection team will be madeup of officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Industry andTrade, led by inspector Le Quang Tiep, deputy head of economiccomplaints and denunciations department.
Tiep previously headed the inspection into theillegal acquisition of pay TV firm AVG by State-owned telecomoperator MobiFone at a price much higher than the market value.
Lam asked State-owned power company VietnamElectricity (EVN), which has a monopoly over power distribution and prices, andthe ministries to work closely with the inspection team during the probe.
Earlier, the Ministry of Industry and Trade saidthe tariff increase should have taken place a year previously,if not for the Government’s commitment to contain inflation, but many peoplehave complained that their monthly bills are abnormally high.
EVN has attributed the significant increase inpower bills to the timing of the price hike in late March, with hot spellsleading to temperatures climbing above 37 degrees Celsius in many regionsacross the country, which led to greater usage of air-conditioners andfans.
Responding to public outcry, earlier this month,Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked Government Inspectorate, the Ministry ofFinance and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to investigate the price hikeand report back in June.-VNA
VNA
