The Year of the Horse (2026) is expected to mark a pivotal phase in the implementation of Vietnam’s adjusted Power Development Plan VIII (PDP VIII), particularly for two strategic pillars: LNG-fired power and offshore wind. Building on the political and legal foundations set by the Politburo’s Resolution No. 70-NQ/TW and the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 253/2025/QH15, together with recent decisions allocating sea areas for offshore wind surveys, Vietnam is transitioning from planning to execution. This article examines the opportunities, risks, and key institutional conditions required for 2026 to become a year of controlled acceleration in the country’s energy transition.

The year 2025 marked a critical inflection point in the development trajectory of Vietnam’s energy sector. Moving beyond plans on paper and prolonged policy debates, the year witnessed a clear shift from strategic orientation to concrete action. From the first LNG-fired power plants entering commercial operation to the initial steps toward reshaping electricity pricing structures based on market signals, Vietnam’s energy sector has moved past a phase of rapid expansion and entered an era of deeper, efficiency-driven optimization.

At noon on December 22, 2025, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh presided over the ceremony to announce and present the Decision appointing Mr. Le Manh Hung as Acting Minister of Industry and Trade.

The 5th Vietnam Clean Energy Forum, themed “Policy and technology solutions to Promote Energy Storage Systems and Industry parks’ Solar power in Vietnam,” was successfully held in Ho Chi Minh City. The event was chaired by the Electricity Authority of Vietnam (Ministry of Industry and Trade - MOIT) and the Vietnam Energy Association (VEA); organized by the Vietnam Energy Review in coordination with the Energy Information Centre, it attracted nearly 250 delegates from management agencies, research institutes, businesses, and international organizations in the energy sector.

On the morning of August 14, 2025, in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam Energy Association (VEA), in collaboration with the Electricity Authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, successfully organized the “Forum on Realizing the Goals of the Revised Power Development Plan VIII and Solutions for Power Generation by 2030.”