Vietnam dead set on nuclear power

Vietnam is determined to build its first nuclear power plant to avert an impending and serious shortfall in electrical power.

Vietnam’s first nuclear power project will be located in Ninh Thuan province. It will consist of two plants with total capacity of 4,000 MW.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said that not to build the plants would confront Vietnam with a severe power shortage in eight years’ time.

“We are determined to develop nuclear power. Without nuclear power, we will not have sufficient power for development. It is estimated that by 2020, Vietnam will be in serious shortage of electricity,” the PM said.

He asked the Ministry of Science and to train the human resources needs to run for the first nuclear power plant in Vietnam and in Southeast Asia.

“If we do not have qualified human resources, we will be unable to develop nuclear power or if we are able, it will be unsafe,” he added.

Dung said Vietnam will consult developed countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in developing nuclear power.

He said that Russia had agreed to lend Vietnam US$10.5 billion, including $8 billion for building the nuclear power plants; $500 million for the Nuclear Power Research Centre and $2 billion for other tasks. In addition, Japan also agreed to lend Vietnam ODA capital to develop nuclear power.

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