Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed two state-owned companies, Electricity of Vietnam and Vietnam Oil & Gas Group, to complete the construction of two nuclear power plants in Ninh Thuan province by the end of 2030.
The Prime Minister, who chairs the steering committee for the nuclear power plants’ construction, led the second meeting of the committee earlier this week.
The proposed Ninh Thuan nuclear power project includes two plants, each with two reactors. Ninh Thuan 1 is situated in Phuoc Dinh commune, Thuan Nam district, while Ninh Thuan 2 will be built in Vinh Hai commune, Ninh Hai district.
At the steering committee meeting, the Prime Minister assigned Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) as the investor for the Ninh Thuan 1 plant and Vietnam Oil & Gas Group (Petrovietnam) as the investor for Ninh Thuan 2 plant.
To establish the legal framework for the plants, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is revising and supplementing the 8th edition of the National Power Development Plan, including the addition of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant project. The Ministry is also exploring the development of additional nuclear plants and plans to renegotiate with foreign partners. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Science and Technology is working on amendments to the Law on Atomic Energy.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the completion timeline should be accelerated, aiming for completion before the end of 2030, coinciding with the 85th anniversary of Vietnam’s founding—although the absolute deadline is the end of 2031.
Regarding foreign partnerships, the Prime Minister instructed that EVN, Petrovietnam, and other agencies should send a delegation to negotiate with foreign partners by February. The government is keen on having backup partners in place to ensure readiness for all scenarios.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will also be engaged for feasibility assessments and technical support. The steering committee will meet monthly to monitor progress and address any challenges.
In 2009, the government initially approved a nuclear project in Ninh Thuan, which was to feature Russian VVER-1200 reactors, but the project was suspended in 2016 due to “economic conditions.” However, the government has since revived its nuclear energy ambitions, with a focus on energy security, development, and achieving net-zero targets. This includes exploring the potential for small modular reactors. The National Assembly officially approved the proposal to restart the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project on November 30.