Japan's JINED keen to help Vietnam develop nuclear power project

International Nuclear Energy Development of Japan Co., Ltd (JINED) is willing to help Vietnam with its Ninh Thuan nuclear power project, says CEO Toshiharu Sasaki.

The executive made the statement at a Wednesday meeting with state utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN). JINED can help in policymaking, human resource training, and public communication on nuclear power, he added.

In reply, EVN general director Nguyen Anh Tuan said he appreciated JINED’s suggestions and urged both sides to further collaborate in technology, environmental protection, and pricing.

JINED was founded in 2010 as a consortium, featuring nine power companies and three nuclear power-related manufacturers of Toshiba, Hitachi, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

In 2005, Vietnam's Party Central Committee had greenlighted a plan to build two nuclear power plants in the south-central province of Ninh Thuan. Four years later, the parliament approved the plan with an initial investment of VND200 trillion ($7.9 billion at the current forex rate).

In November 2016, the National Assembly, the country’s highest legislative body, decided to halt the 4,000 MW project, citing safety, funding and technology reasons.

In November 2024, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien stated that renewables, including solar power even backed by an expensive power storage system, cannot fulfill Vietnam’s electricity demand, hence nuclear energy is inevitable.

Later in the same month, the National Assembly agreed to resume the nuclear power project in Ninh Thuan after an eight-year suspension.

In addition to Japan, Russia has already noted its willingness to help Vietnam with nuclear power development, said Ivan Sergeevich Nesterov, Chargé d'affaires of Russia in Vietnam.