VietNamNet Bridge - To improve the safety requirements, the time of construction of the first nuclear power plant in Ninh Thuan province will be postponed for a few years, instead of 2014.

The sketch of Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant.

Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan said that the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Ninh Thuan under the National Assembly’s resolution will not be able to start in 2014, but at least 2-3 years later and the government would report the delay to the National Assembly.

Minister Nguyen Quan said that later this year Vietnam will consider the feasibility report and select the technology plan, determine the plant location and prepare the bidding dossiers to open tenders after 2015. The next steps will be opening bidding for construction and construction, check and take-over and startup the plant.

"For enhancing safety, the construction will be delayed until 2025, then the first turbine may be put into operation," said Quan.

Experts said that the delay will help Vietnam have more time to prepare carefully for the project, particularly human resource training.

During his visit to Vietnam earlier this month, General Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – Mr. Yukiya Amano said that the building of the first nuclear power plants usually takes 10-15 years. However, time is not the main issue for Vietnam, but its careful preparation for this project.

"Vietnam should not hurry because this is a big project with a country that does not have experience in nuclear power development," said Yukiya Amano.

Vietnam plans to build the two first nuclear power plants in Ninh Thuan, with the help of Russia for the first plant and Japan for the second. According to the initial plant, the construction of the Ninh Thuan 1, with a design capacity of 2,000MW was scheduled to get off the ground in Phuoc Dinh commune, Thuan Nam district, in 2014 and and it will begin operation in 2020.

Consortium of Russian and Ukrainian consultants E4-KIEP-EPT has already selected a construction site for Ninh Thuan 1, and it is currently working on an appraisal dossier and investment projects for submission to the government.

After the 2011 Fukushima incident, the government asked consultants to supplement earthquake resistant solutions and adjust the location of the plant, thus resulting in longer preparations than initially expected.

A Ministry of Industry and Trade report indicates Vietnam and Russia reached an agreement on measures to shorten the construction time of the plant.

In late 2011 Russia agreed to provide credits for the project under a governmental-level agreement with Vietnam.

In a Vietnam-Russia inter-governmental committee meeting a year later, both sides examined preparations and agreed to assign relevant agencies to work on the project’ progress.

While visiting Ninh Thuan in December 2013, Russian ambassador to Vietnam Andrey Kovtun affirmed his government’s willingness to provide assistance to the project.

He revealed Russia will organise a fact-finding tour of a Russian nuclear plant in Voronhez for Vietnamese officials and experts in 2014.

Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom has collaborated with Vietnam to build the first nuclear power plant in the country.

S. Tung