Khanh Hoa (VNA) – The central province of Khanh Hoa is accelerating preparations for the Ninh Thuan 1 and Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power plant projects, focusing on construction of the first two component projects covering land clearance, resettlement and relocation as assigned by the government.
Pham Minh Tan, Director of the provincial Construction Investment Project Management Board, said the board has been appointed investors for Component Projects 1 and 2 of the Ninh Thuan 1 plant in Phuoc Dinh commune and the Ninh Thuan 2 plant in Vinh Hai commune.
For Component Project 1, covering land clearance and resettlement for the Ninh Thuan 1 plant, construction drawings and cost estimates have been approved, while contractors are being selected for six construction packages.
Contract Package No. 15, which covers technical infrastructure for the resettlement area, has already been awarded and construction has begun. The contractor has received 34.7 hectares of the planned 65.12-hectare site and is setting up temporary facilities and the project management office.
Procurement is continuing for the remaining packages, including water supply, social infrastructure, a fishing boat shelter and coastal embankment, a cemetery, and upgrades to medium-voltage power lines and substations.
For Component Project 2, serving the Ninh Thuan 2 plant, works include a 31.8-hectare resettlement area, a production relocation area and a cemetery.
The feasibility study was approved by the provincial People's Committee in March 2026, while detailed engineering designs and cost estimates have been completed. Contractor selection is also under way.
However, Tan said the main challenge is the conversion of 155.78 hectares of forest land, including 134.49 hectares of natural forest and 21.29 hectares of planted forest.
Following provincial instructions, the project management board revised the project by removing the production relocation area from the forest assessment. It has also requested approval to pay for replacement afforestation and submitted documents seeking permission to convert forest land for the project.
According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, adjustments have been made to exclude the production relocation area from the affected forest boundary. The department has also provided opinions on forest status to support the land conversion procedures.
The biggest obstacle remains land clearance, particularly for the Ninh Thuan 1 project.
Authorities said progress has been slowed by difficulties in verifying land ownership, land-use history and compensation eligibility. Illegal land subdivision and inaccurate declarations of houses have also complicated the compensation process.
Phuoc Dinh commune still has around 216 hectares requiring further verification, including about 200 hectares within the plant site and 16 hectares in the resettlement area. The commune has referred suspected irregularities to provincial police for investigation.
Tan stressed that land clearance falls under the responsibility of local authorities and urged Phuoc Dinh commune to speed up compensation procedures and hand over cleared land in phases to keep construction on schedule.
He also called on Vinh Hai commune to expedite grave relocation and consult residents on the provincial decision not to develop the planned production relocation area so investment priorities could be finalised.
The project management board has also asked the Department of Agriculture and Environment to promptly approve borrow sites for fill materials needed for the Ninh Thuan 1 resettlement area and secure earth supply for the Ninh Thuan 2 project to ensure construction stays on schedule./.
