‘Vietnam will build new nuclear reactor for research and application’

The information was announced by Dr. Tran Chi Thanh, Director of the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute, at the regular press conference for the second quarter of 2024 organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology on the afternoon of July 4.

According to Mr. Thanh, at the end of June, the General Director of the Russian Federation State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom) Alexey Likhachev and the Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat exchanged a memorandum of understanding on the implementation plan of the project to build a Center for Nuclear Science and Technology (CNST) in Vietnam. After that, the two sides agreed on the cooperation and implementation methods to build and operate this project effectively.

CNST is expected to be located in Long Khanh City, Dong Nai. This center will have a tank-type nuclear reactor with a capacity of 10 MW, using low-enriched fuel manufactured by Russia.

Mr. Thanh said that the project has deployed the reactor design and surveyed a suitable location to build a new reactor. The new research reactor will aim to produce radioactive pharmaceuticals for cancer treatment and diagnosis. This is an important task, because each year there are about 180,000 people with cancer while the treatment efficiency in the country is currently about 40% (the world is 70%).

“Currently, the Da Lat nuclear reactor produces nearly 10 types of radioactive pharmaceuticals, but with the new reactor, the capacity can be increased 5 to 7 times,” said Mr. Thanh.

Currently, the Ministry of Science and Technology has assigned the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute to establish specialized groups in depth on reactor physics, horizontal channel design, production of radioactive isotopes on research reactors, material research, silicon irradiation for semiconductors, activation analysis research, environmental protection, nuclear safety… This is to prepare a source of research staff, apply and effectively exploit the new research reactor, ensuring safety when CNST comes into operation.

Mr. Thanh said that the Institute of Atomic Energy is also working with a number of foreign units, including the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research Dubna (JINR), in a long-term plan to train staff.

At the press conference, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Hoang Giang emphasized Vietnam’s policy of developing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in conjunction with socio-economic development. He said that the results of applications in medicine, agriculture, and the import and export of agricultural products show the real need for nuclear energy.

“In line with the global trend, many countries are restarting and focusing on nuclear energy resources to serve socio-economic development. Therefore, the project also needs a long preparation time, aiming to apply nuclear energy to socio-economic development,” he said.

The Nuclear Science and Technology Research Center (CNST) project is implemented under the Intergovernmental Agreement signed in 2011. The project was approved by the Vietnamese Government in 2018. This is the first time Vietnam has implemented a project to build a large-capacity nuclear research reactor.

To support the review and appraisal of the Feasibility Study Report, Safety Analysis Report and Design Documents, the Ministry of Science and Technology has requested the State Nuclear Energy Corporation Rosatom to facilitate a number of Vietnamese officials to participate in the implementation of the basic design of the reactor and the accompanying safety calculations and analyses. Rosatom will also support Vietnam in training staff to operate the research reactor.

Vietnam currently has the Dalat Nuclear Reactor which has been in operation for 40 years. The predecessor of this reactor was the TRIGA Mark-2 Nuclear Reactor with a capacity of 250 kWt, built by the US in Dalat since 1963. Before April 30, 1975, all fuel rods of the reactor were dismantled and shipped to the US, so the reactor was no longer able to operate. Since 1982, the former Soviet Union has helped restore and expand the Dalat nuclear reactor. On March 20, 1984, the reactor with the new name Dalat Nuclear Reactor was put into operation with a nominal capacity of 500 kWt, twice the capacity of the previous TRIGA reactor. The reactor is used for scientific research, sample analysis, production of radioactive drugs for medicine, industry and human resource training.