The country’s only nuclear reactor in Da Lat, Central Highlands Lam Dong province, marked its 25 years in operation on March 20.

The reactor was built in 1960 but stopped working in 1968 and its fuel bars were removed and transferred to the US during 1974-75. It was restored in 1982 with assistance from the former Soviet Union and the International Atomic Energy Agency and started operating on March 20, 1984.

It has served research on nuclear and neutron physics as well as on nuclear applications.

At a symposium on March 19, about 100 leading researchers in nuclear physics and atomic energy throughout the country assessed the reactor’s operation and discussed ways to improve its working efficiency.

On this occasion, the Da Lat Nuclear Research Institute was awarded the Labour Order, first class, by the State in recognition of its excellent performance in safely running the nuclear reactor and conducting research on nuclear physics./.