Vietnam is seeking urgent talks with Russia in a bid to speed up its nuclear program, citing risks to the country’s goal of having a reactor operational by the end of the decade.
The government has asked authorities to “urgently hold negotiations” with Russia to move forward with signing an investment cooperation agreement to develop the Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant in August, according to a statement on the Vietnamese government’s website.
Vietnam approved a nuclear power development plan in February, following a non-binding nuclear energy cooperation agreement signed with Russia the previous month. The Southeast Asian country suspended previous efforts in 2016 due to high construction costs and safety concerns, but is reconsidering nuclear power to boost its energy security and meet economic development goals.
Vietnam-Japan Nuclear Power Plant Cooperation
Authorities have also been urged to work closely with Japan on the possibility of continuing investment cooperation in the Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power project, which was previously expected to be operational in 2036 to 2040. The country aims to put Ninh Thuan 1 into operation before the end of 2031 at the latest.
“Negotiations with partners on investment cooperation in the construction of nuclear power plants are still slower than required,” the statement said. There are risks to the “target of completing investment and construction work before December 31, 2030,” as set out in the guidelines issued by the country’s prime minister.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Russia. The Southeast Asian country has not condemned Moscow’s war in Ukraine, but has called for a shift to diplomacy to resolve the conflict. It is unclear whether Vietnam plans to import Russian nuclear equipment.
