Vietnam’s November 1 energy measures are aimed at easing costs for households and businesses while supporting economic growth and limiting price pressure. EVN cut the average pre-VAT electricity tariff by 2%, to 2,159.9037 dong per kWh, and the government reduced petrol excise tax to zero. These steps can help lower costs, but they are not enough on their own to secure Vietnam’s growth or inflation targets.
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What changed on November 1
EVN’s Decision No. 1305/QD-EVN set the new average electricity tariff at 2,159.9037 dong per kWh, excluding VAT—a 2% reduction, effective November 1, 2026.
7 This is an average tariff change; it does not mean every household’s or business’s total bill will fall by exactly 2%.
Vietnam also reduced petrol excise tax to zero. After the change, the retail price of E5 RON92 fell by 1,804 dong per litre, while E10 RON95-III fell by 1,575 dong per litre.
36 The reported policy period for both measures runs through March 31, 2027.
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How cheaper energy can help growth
Electricity and fuel are costs for many businesses, and petrol is also a direct expense for households. Lower energy costs can therefore leave firms with more room to manage operating expenses and households with more money for other spending. The expected benefit is cost relief—not a guaranteed rise in production, hiring or consumption.
The growth target is demanding. Reporting says Vietnam would need fourth-quarter GDP growth of 12.5% to reach its 10% full-year target; the government described that pace as challenging.
11 Cheaper energy may make it less costly to produce and transport goods, but the available reporting does not establish that the price cuts will deliver the growth required.
How the cuts may help contain inflation
Energy costs can feed into the prices of goods and services through electricity use, transport and distribution. Reducing those costs may ease some upward pressure on prices, although the effect on consumer prices depends on how much of the savings businesses pass on.
The context makes that relief relevant: Vietnam’s average consumer price index rose 4.52% in the first nine months of 2026, around the National Assembly’s full-year target of about 4.5%.
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24 The tariff and tax cuts may help limit further cost pressure, but they do not establish where full-year inflation will end up.
What the measures do not resolve
The cuts are targeted relief, not a substitute for broader growth drivers or a guarantee of lower prices across the economy. Electricity customers may see different bill effects, and businesses may not pass every cost saving on to consumers. The measures also come with trade-offs: the petrol tax reduction lowers tax revenue, while the size of any economic benefit depends on how households and firms use the money saved.
The clearest conclusion is that Vietnam is using lower energy costs to support both sides of its near-term policy challenge: encouraging activity while trying to restrain inflation. Whether that support is enough depends on factors beyond the price cuts, including demand, investment and other costs.