The Ministry of Science and Technology in conjunction with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Ministry of Industry and Trade held a workshop on August 23 in Hanoi, to discuss developing the infrastructure for Vietnam’s future nuclear power industry.

Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan, who is also deputy head of the State Steering Committee for the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project, chaired the workshop.

This was an opportunity for Vietnamese policy makers, nuclear technology specialists and managers to discuss issues concerning the preparation, construction and development of the necessary infrastructure with IAEA representatives and specialists from Russia and Japan. This will ensure the successful construction and operation of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant, the first of its kind in Vietnam, and other Vietnamese development programmes in this sector in the future.

Addressing the workshop, Quan stated that Vietnam always attaches a great deal of importance to strengthening and expanding cooperation with the IAEA and other countries that have advanced nuclear power industries, including Russia and Japan.

Alexander Bychkov, the IAEA’s Deputy Director General, said that the agency will continue to support Vietnam to develop its own domestic nuclear industry.

During the workshop, the participants heard reports on the state of Vietnam’s nuclear power infrastructure and the key issues that need to be considered, as well as learn from Russia and Japan’s experiences in developing this sector, especially after last year’s disaster at Fukushima.-VNA