Vietnam puts safety first when developing nuclear power

The statement was made by Mr. Nguyen Hoang Linh, Director of the Department of Radiation and Nuclear Safety, at the 10th Review Conference of the Nuclear Safety Convention taking place on April 13-24 at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna (Austria). Mr. Linh plays the role of head of the Vietnamese delegation attending this time. Also participating were Mr. Le Vu Thai Hoang, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Republic of Austria, Head of Vietnam’s permanent delegation to the IAEA and international organizations, and other members.

At the conference, Mr. Linh emphasized that Vietnam has now made strategic decisions and important steps in restarting the nuclear power program. In particular, the National Assembly’s decision in November 2024 to restart the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project is considered a strategic milestone to ensure energy security, promote economic growth, and implement the commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.

Recently, Vietnam has also synchronously implemented many solutions such as completing the legal framework with the adoption of the Atomic Energy Law 2025, issuing four decrees and three guiding circulars, as well as developing and promulgating important strategic projects on the Atomic Energy Development and Application Strategy until 2035. At the same time, the capacity of the Department of Radiation and Nuclear Safety – the national nuclear regulatory agency – has also been strengthened.

In addition, Vietnam is also actively training and developing human resources in the field of atomic energy, as well as coordinating with the IAEA to complete the nuclear power infrastructure assessment report, while updating electricity planning VIII, establishing a nuclear power plant construction steering committee (NEPIO) and building special mechanisms and policies for this project. The process of completing the legal framework and developing the above projects is currently receiving active support from the IAEA and international partners.

The report also noted that Vietnam maintains safe operation of the Da Lat nuclear reactor, with no incidents in recent times. Completing the legal framework and improving state management capacity have also made progress. In particular, the recommendations from the 8th and 9th Review Conferences of the Nuclear Safety Convention mentioned previously have basically been handled, especially in the field of institutional improvement and strengthening human resource development.

Besides the results, Mr. Linh said that Vietnam continues to promote the development of methods to evaluate safety culture; complete the national environmental radiation monitoring network; Effectively deploy approved capacity building projects; as well as implementing the approved capacity building project as a prerequisite to ensure safety for the successful implementation of the nuclear power program.

In the coming time, Vietnam will continue to strengthen its capacity for safety appraisal, inspection and regulatory supervision, develop human resources and implement a radioactive waste management strategy, while affirming its commitment to developing atomic energy for peaceful purposes, complying with international safety standards and strengthening close cooperation with the IAEA as well as global partners.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the IAEA has recognized the efforts of the group of member states in developing and updating national reports. However, he also emphasized that countries need to strengthen measures to prevent nuclear incidents and ensure nuclear safety in the context of many challenges in the world.

Mr. Faizan Mansoor, Chairman of the 10th Review Conference of the Nuclear Safety Convention, emphasized the key role of international cooperation in ensuring nuclear safety. He noted that the conference needs to focus on technical elements of nuclear safety, while respecting the spirit of the Convention through promoting cooperation and reaching consensus. According to Mansoor, the active participation and contributions of member states will contribute to strengthening nuclear safety globally through a consensus-based approach and focusing on technical factors as a foundation.

It is expected that the Vietnamese delegation will continue to work according to the program of the 10th Review Conference of the Nuclear Safety Convention. In addition to the plenary session and sessions in which country groups present reports and answer questions from member countries, the conference will hold a number of technical discussion sessions April 20-24 as well as preparation for the next sessions of the conference.