In a major legal action, the Ministry of Public Security in Vietnam has charged 47 individuals associated with the National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT) over serious violations linked to the 500kV Line 3 project. This announcement was made during a press conference on July 2, where officials from the Criminal Investigation Agency (C01) detailed the charges against these individuals.

The charges include five serious offenses: violations of bidding regulations that resulted in severe consequences, violations of accounting regulations leading to serious repercussions, embezzlement, bribery, and misappropriation of assets. These infractions are part of a broader criminal investigation involving EVNNPT, PC1 Group, and several related entities.

According to C01, the 500kV Line 3 project, which is overseen by EVNNPT, faced multiple violations during its implementation phase. Both EVNNPT and the contractors involved were found to have committed offenses in areas such as budget preparation, approval processes, tender documentation, bidding organization, and project acceptance and settlement. Several contractors also violated regulations while executing various project components.

A total of 13 companies have been identified as being involved in this case, including EVNNPT, the Northern and Central Power Projects Management Boards, PC1, Dong Anh Steel Tower Manufacturing Company, Tan Phat Mineral Joint Stock Company, Song Da 11 Joint Stock Company, and Electric Construction Company No. 4, among others.

As part of the investigation, C01 has temporarily seized 45.8 billion VND and 1 million USD, along with freezing securities accounts valued at approximately 1.756 trillion VND. The President of PC1, Trinh Van Tuan, is among those implicated in the case.

Previously, several senior officials from PC1 and the Electric Construction Consulting Companies 1, 2, 3, and 4 were also charged, highlighting the extensive nature of the investigation. EVNNPT, a member of the Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN), is the sole state-owned enterprise responsible for the development and operation of the national power transmission system. By the end of 2025, EVNNPT is expected to manage over 33,400 km of power lines, including 12,335 km of 500kV lines and 21,070 km of 220kV lines, supported by a skilled workforce of over 6,900 personnel.