Resume nuclear power project, Vietnam gov’t proposes after 8-year pause

Vietnam should resume the nuclear power project in Ninh Thuan province after an eight-year hiatus to meet growing energy needs, the government has proposed to the National Assembly, the nation’s top legislative body.

The proposal was submitted Wednesday at the ongoing parliament session by Standing Deputy PM Nguyen Hoa Binh, who said the nation needed an additional 70 GW of electricity by 2030 and 400-500 GW by 2050.

Binh said nuclear power development would serve the dual purpose of providing electricity and contributing to the country's transition toward sustainable, green energy.

“Nuclear power would also help the nation compete with traditional energy sources and garner international support in terms of finance, science, technology and high-quality human resources,” he added.

According to Binh, the government aims to develop a comprehensive nuclear power development plan, outlining the potential for various types of nuclear energy, identifying additional suitable sites for nuclear plants, and refining investment policies and mechanisms for developing and operating them.

Efforts will also focus on human resources training, with the long-term goal of localizing nuclear technology in Vietnam.

The Deputy PM stressed that the development of nuclear power would be for peaceful purposes, adhere to the highest safety standards, minimize risks to people and the environment and ensure national energy security and sustainable development.

The government proposal noted that in 2009, the government had appointed state utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN) as the main investor of the nuclear power project in the central province of Ninh Thuan and engaged Russian and Japanese partners for investment preparation. The selected locations were scrutinized in order to meet stringent international criteria.

Vietnam’s latest Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) estimates the nation’s total installed electricity capacity to increase from 80,000 MW today to 150,000 MW by 2030, and 490,000-573,000 MW by 2050.

The plan also looks to limit the expansion of coal and LNG power plants due to implementation challenges, indicating a shift towards greener energy sources in order to meet the country’s commitment of net-zero emissions by 2050 made at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in the UK in 2021.

Binh noted that as of August 2024, there were 415 nuclear reactors operating worldwide with a total installed capacity of 373,735 MWe. An additional 62 reactors are under construction with a combined designed capacity of 64.971 MWe. Nuclear power was contributing around 10% of the world’s electricity supply.

While 32 countries currently operate nuclear power plants, 20 more were considering the nuclear option to meet their energy needs and fulfill climate commitments. Given this global trend, resumption of the Ninh Thuan nuclear project was both necessary and feasible, meeting practical requirements, Binh said.

Verifying the cabinet’s proposal, Le Quang Huy, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee on Science, Technology, and Environment, said that the government had conducted thorough surveys and assessments of the Ninh Thuan nuclear plant sites.

Through the eight-year suspension, the project sites have been well managed, and preparations made for investment, project infrastructure and human resources training, he noted.

Huy recommended that the government proposes a program to align nuclear power development with strengthening the country’s scientific and technological capabilities.

He urged the creation of a suitable management model for nuclear energy, emphasizing the need for specialized human resources, particularly experts, to support its development.

Huy also called for public awareness campaigns to build social consensus on the development of nuclear energy, alongside the preparation of an updated investment plan that aligns with current realities and current legal regulations.

In 2005, the Party Central Committee had greenlighted a plan to build two nuclear power plants in 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 parliament decided to halt the project, citing safety, funding and technology reasons.