National Assembly delegate: Need to restart Ninh Thuan nuclear power project

In the draft Electricity Law (amended), the Government proposes that the State monopolize and the Prime Minister stipulate a specific mechanism to deploy investment, construction and operation of nuclear power plants.

Discussing on the afternoon of November 7, many National Assembly delegates said that it was time for Vietnam to restart the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant project as soon as possible. “This is a very important issue, only nuclear power can ensure national energy needs,” Mr. Pham Van Hoa, representative of Dong Thap province, stated his opinion.

According to him, the development of nuclear power is one of the world’s trends. Some countries shut down nuclear power plants but have restarted them due to increased energy demand. However, the calculation to redevelop nuclear power needs to ensure national defense, security and the environment.

Previously, Vietnam had planned to build a nuclear power plant in Ninh Thuan, but this project was stopped according to the decision in the 2016 National Assembly Resolution. In 2022, when monitoring the implementation of this resolution of the National Assembly, The National Assembly and the Economic Committee have also proposed to consider developing this type of energy on the basis of a complete, scientific and accurate assessment of the current situation and forecast of energy supply and demand.

Representing the locality that was once chosen as the location for the nuclear power project, Ms. Dang Thi My Huong – Deputy Head of the Ninh Thuan delegation – said that the draft law mentions nuclear power but its implementation is unclear.

“It is necessary to research and develop a complete legal framework for nuclear power development and have a clear roadmap for this type of power source,” she suggested. This is to avoid wasting resources. The State has invested land resources in two selected locations for Ninh Thuan 1 and 2 nuclear power projects.

On the other hand, the Deputy Head of the Ninh Thuan delegation also expressed concern when the Government proposed to assign the authority to regulate the specific mechanism for investing in nuclear power projects to the Prime Minister, instead of the National Assembly. Previously, the Committee for Science, Technology and Environment said that this was not consistent with the Prime Minister’s authority, according to the Law on Government Organization and the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents.

“Investment in nuclear power development needs to have a unified implementation policy, ensuring consistency, efficiency and creating people’s trust,” Ms. Huong commented.

In fact, nuclear power is an important energy source – the foundation power source for renewable energy development. It also helps Vietnam diversify its energy supply, meeting demand growth of 10% each year. International experience shows that all countries are researching to double or triple the output and scale of this power source. In Japan and France, it is estimated that the proportion of nuclear power accounts for 20-25%.

However, Mr. Nguyen Quang Huan, Chairman of Halcom, questioned whether it is the right time for us to master nuclear technology.

“If we do not master technology, we will depend a lot from installation to operation, and later nuclear waste treatment, including plant dismantling,” he stated.

In order for nuclear power to be invested and developed in the future, Mr. Hoang Duc Chinh, former Secretary of the Lac Son District Party Committee (Hoa Binh) proposed adding regulations on radioactive waste treatment when amending the Electricity Law. This is to avoid environmental concerns and increase social consensus when Vietnam develops nuclear power sources.