Former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoàng Quốc Vượng at the court hearing. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội People’s Procuracy on Wednesday proposed a prison sentence of six to seven years for former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoàng Quốc Vượng for "abusing position and power while performing duties" under Article 356, Clause 3 of the Penal Code, in a solar power case. 

Former head of the Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) Phương Hoàng Kim was also expected to face the same jail term for the same charge. 

Meanwhile, prison terms ranging from three to six years were proposed for 10 others. 

According to the Procuracy, wrongdoings in implementing the Thuận Nam solar power project are very serious, undermining the operations of State agencies.

Vượng was accused of abusing his power and position, deliberately directing the drafting team to formulate Government Decision No. 13 in a way that expanded the eligibility for the preferential electricity price of 9.35 US cents/kWh.

Regarding civil liability, the Procuracy proposed that the judicial panel order three companies that unlawfully benefited from the policy to repay the funds to Vietnam Electricity (EVN).

According to Procuracy, the Government issued Resolution No. 115/NQ-CP issued in August 2018, which introduced special mechanisms to support the socio-economic development of the south-central province of Ninh Thuận. The resolution stipulated that projects with a combined capacity of 2,000MW, approved by the Prime Minister, would be eligible for preferential electricity pricing until the end of 2020.

The MoIT was tasked with drafting Decision No. 13 on the mechanism to encourage solar power development in Việt Nam.

During this process, Vượng allegedly instructed the drafting team to expand the scope of beneficiaries, resulting in two solar power plants receiving the preferential rate unlawfully and causing EVN to incur losses of over VNĐ1.04 trillion (approximately US$42 million). — VNS