Vietnam Studies Nuclear Power to Ensure Energy Security
Posted on: Thursday, 20 October 2005, 06:00 CDT
Text of report in English by Vietnamese news agency VNA website
Hanoi, 20 October: Vietnam will build a nuclear power plant in order to meet the country's demand for power, which is projected at 200-230bn kWh by 2020.
The information was affirmed by Vice-Director of the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute (VAEI) Le Van Hong at a press briefing held at the end of a two-day Vietnam-France seminar on civil nuclear technology on 19 October.
The VAEI estimated that by 2020, all electricity generation sources will produce as much as 165bn kWh.
It calculated that another 20bn kWh can be covered by using appliances that consume less power, by recycling energy, and importing power from neighbouring countries.
So, the remaining 40bn kWh will have to be generated by a nuclear power plant, the VAEI said.
"Only nuclear power can help Vietnam ensure energy security and at the same time solve problems relating to environmental pollution, " VAEI Vice-Director Hong noted.
He reported that a pre-feasibility study on the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Vietnam is underway, adding that it is designed to have a capacity of 2,000-4,000 MW and be capable of generating 14-28bn kWh a year.
At present, Vietnam is cooperating with industrialized countries that produce and use nuclear power such as Canada, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Russia and France.
Vietnam has cooperated with France in drafting a civil nuclear energy bill, training human resources, and selecting the locations and technologies appropriate for its future nuclear power plant.
Talking with the Vietnam News Agency reporter on the sidelines of the seminar, Dr Abdallah Amri, International Cooperation Manager of the Institute of Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN), emphasized that safety is the most important requirement while running a nuclear power plant.
Therefore, Vietnam needs a contingent of skilled and proficient experts to run the plant, he noted, adding that IRSN is interested in assisting Vietnam in the field.
The IRSN signed an agreement with the VAEI, committing to help Vietnam train human resources that are able to operate nuclear power plants, especially those who manage nuclear reactors.
According to head of the VAEI's International Cooperation Department Tran Thanh Lien, Vietnam will work with France to organize a seminar on the safety of and the funding for a nuclear power plant in 2006.
The year 2006 will possibly see the second exhibition on civil nuclear energy technology in Vietnam, Lien said.
Source: BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific
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