Vietnam advances nuclear plant construction program

More committed to meeting growing energy needs with nuclear power.

Nuclear plans will be on the agenda when Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Vietnam today. Nov. 12. Vietnam is working with Russian utility and energy company Rosatom on its first two-reactor nuclear power station in the south central province of Ninh Thuan, whose construction has been delayed by three years, or from 2014 to 2017. Last month, the US and Vietnam also signed a deal allowing American companies to develop civilian nuclear power in Vietnam. Japan and South Korea have also shown an interest in gaining a foothold in an industry that could be worth US$50 billion by 2030.

Talks about funding the construction of the second nuclear power plant, also in Ninh Thuan, have been underway between Japan and Vietnam. South Korean President Park Geun-hye said her country was interested in introducing its nuclear power technology in in Vietnam, adding that a joint study on a project to build a nuclear power plant in Vietnam had been launched.