Higher electricity costs to impact Vietnamese cement prices

Vietnam Cement Industry Corp (VICEM) has announced that its electricity costs will increase by VND20bn (US$855,730) per month, and therefore product prices are also expected to rise. Local producers have stated that they will raise prices by VND30,000-50,000/t.

On 20 March power prices went up by 8.4 per cent to VND1864, exclusive of VAT, after remaining unchanged for two years. A household which uses 520kWh a month will now pay an extra VND83,000, according to Vietnam News. Vietnam Electricity, the country’s sole power distributor, has said that the hike would increase its revenues by VND20trn, which it would use to cover higher production costs.