Vietnam’s growing demand for energy in service of rapid socioeconomic development and materialising its ambitious dream of achieving net-zero emissions have once again triggered a need to develop nuclear power, which would require thorough analysis.

There is no ground to eliminate nuclear power planning, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien said on May 30.

The Economic Committee of the National Assembly (NA) has recently proposed developing nuclear power over the next decades to ensure national energy security and meet the ‘net zero’ goal Vietnam set at the 26th UN Conference on Climate Change (COP26).

The National Assembly’s Economic Committee has asked the Government to retain the positions reserved for Ninh Thuan 1 and 2 Nuclear Power plants, though the project was stopped six years ago.

Stopping the implementation of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project is a right policy of historical significance by the Party Central Committee and Politburo led by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has proposed developing nuclear energy on a small scale post 2030 in its latest version of the draft Vietnam Power Development Plan from 2021 – 2030 (PDP8) with a vision towards 2045.

Vietnam has reiterated its support for the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) at a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on Tuesday (local time). 

Ambassador Pham Trung Kien, permanent representative of Vietnam to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on November 24 attended a regular meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors (IAEA BoG) in Vienna, Austria.

The possibility of Vietnam developing nuclear power is low, according to the Energy Institute of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT).

Vietnam is drafting the eighth national power development master plan after failure to implement electricity generation and electricity network projects under the seventh plan.

Following successful cooperation with Quang Ngai province, the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute (Vinatom) has begun cooperating with Ca Mau to solve local problems with nuclear engineering and radiation technology.

Dr Nguyen Manh Hien, former head of the Energy Institute under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, talks about Vietnam’s energy security.

Vietnam’s nuclear engineering is used in traditional fields but also in organic agricultural development, farm produce origin tracing, and others.

Phan Son Hai, director of the Da Lat Nuclear Research Institute, when asked about about the institute’s achievements, put emphasis on radioactive isotope production.

Japan and Russia, partners with Vietnam in the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project, said they regret Vietnam’s decision to stop the project.

Nuclear and isotope techniques are being used in water sources treatment, pollutant tracing, and environmental treatment.

 VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam has 20 thermal power plants now and plans to have more than double that by 2050.

China has removed an important clause in the draft MOU on the cooperation of the two countries’ regulatory bodies and the nuclear power industry, according to the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS).

The Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (Varans) said Vietnam and China have agreed to set up a channel to exchange information and cooperate in nuclear power technology.