Vietnam’s plans to build its first nuclear power plant have been imminently delayed. The 2010 target of constructing 8 power plants by 2025 has seemingly now become a distant memory.
President Nguyen Tan Dung, speaking at a PetroVietnam conference on the January 15 said that construction on the proposed Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant will now be delayed until 2020, according to Vietnam Net. Experts agree with this revised timeline and warned that construction cannot begin until there is a guarantee of the highest standards for safety and efficiency.
Professor Tran Dai Phuc from a France-Vietnam consultancy group for the nuclear power station believes that the halt is the right decision. Phuc remembers the disaster at the Fukushima, Japan nuclear plant and said that safety precautions have to be the top priority - Vietnam would have to be more than ready to act against any potential nuclear accidents.
The National Assembly also agreed that building the power plant should be postponed and will cooperate with the government to determine a realistic construction schedule.
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Vietnam has tapped South Korea, Japan, Russia and the US as partners for its nuclear ambitions.
Last October, American Secretary of State, John Kerry and Vietnamese Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung signed an agreement on nuclear technology and nuclear fuel for civilian purposes.
"This agreement will create numerous opportunities for our businesses...Obviously our nuclear cooperation is quite significant," said Kerry.
Referred to as the 123 Agreement, it provides a legal basis for nuclear cooperation between the two countries.
News about the delay comes after numerous hiccups relating to the construction of the proposed nuclear power plant including slow land clearance, miscommunication and incomplete designs.
According to the World Nuclear Association, Vietnam has considered nuclear power generation since 1995.
By the looks of things, they may have to wait a little while longer.
