Vietnam to continue nuclear power projects, says deputy minister

Thứ sáu, 26/8/2011 | 14:04 GMT+7

The Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology confirms that Vietnam will continue developing nuclear power, but it will ask partners to raise the safety criteria, said Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Le Dinh Tien.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Le Dinh Tien. Photo: Vietnamnet Bridge Tien talked with correspondents about Vietnam’s nuclear power projects on the sideline of the conference, on “challenges in developing nuclear power in developing countries” held in Hanoi recently. What is Vietnam doing to prepare for the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Ninh Thuan Province in 2014? Vietnam is negotiating with Russia and Japan to prepare for selecting a partner to carry out a feasibility study. Initial designs will begin, and costs will be calculated after the study is finished. Because this is the first nuclear power plant in Vietnam, the construction is likely to face difficulties related to human resource training, infrastructure and a legal framework on safety. After the Fukushima nuclear power incident in Japan, what will Vietnam do to ensure safety for the nuclear power plant in Ninh Thuan? After the incident, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held a meeting of member countries in Austria in June to discuss measures on raising safety standards for the construction of nuclear power plants. Vietnam still pursues its plan to develop nuclear power but it has asked partners to heighten safety in their design, which would include preventive measures. For example, scientists said that Ninh Thuan faces earthquake risks of up to 7 Richter scale, the preventive standards is 8 Richter scale. But now experts recommend raising the preventive standards to 9 Richter scale. The disaster in Japan has prompted many countries to change their nuclear power development strategies. Some have even considered halting its development, for instance Japan, Germany and Switzerland. How has it affected Vietnam's plans? Any change in plans for nuclear power development is the decision of individual countries. For Vietnam, this form of energy is suitable for our economic situation, and will be thoroughly studied to ensure safety. We will carefully consider all aspects and challenges that go along with this, including human resources, legal frameworks and infrastructure. According to national power development plan (Plan 7), nuclear power is expected to account for 4.5% of the national total power generating capacity by 2020. However, we may have to make some adjustments to fit the country's situation. Vietnam’s two first nuclear power plants, to be located in the central province of Ninh Thuan, are designed to generate 4,000 MW annually. Even though the costs have not been officially estimated, many experts expect it to be very costly. What is your comment about the efficiency of such projects? A thermal power plant’s lifespan is often 20 – 30 years, while a nuclear power plant can operate for 60 years or even more. After a nuclear power plant project breaks even in 20 years, nuclear power will actually be less costly. Also, fuel oil makes up only a small percentage of a nuclear power plant's operation costs, so nuclear power is an effective way to lower costs in the long-term. How about the expenses for waste treatment? It is also an important issue in nuclear power development. But fuels at nuclear power plants only burns a part and the remaining can be treated to re-use. Some countries like France, Japan and Russia have recycled waste as fuel for nuclear power production. It is estimated that this is the source of fuel supply for thousands of years later, while uranium ore is estimated to be enough for 70 years from now.   <table width="392" height="280" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1" align="center" style=""> <tbody> <tr> <td>Vietnam to build nuclear power sci-tech center This center will be established to serve the nuclear power project in Ninh Thuan province and to train human resources for the nuclear power industry in the future, said Dr. Vuong Huu Tan, director of the Institute for Nuclear Sciences. According to Tan, the center will be built under the assistance of Russian partners. The construction will begin in June 2013, and finish in October 2018. The center will recruit 350 employees. Some employees will be trained in Russia, starting from late 2011. Tan said that the center will be built in Hoa Binh, Da Lat or Dong Nai. </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> Source: Vietnamnet Bridge