After many years of suspension, the policy of nuclear power development in Vietnam is being restarted with high consensus from management levels and the expert community. However, the journey to build nuclear power plants is not simple, as Vietnam still faces three major bottlenecks: technology, infrastructure and especially human resources.
At the Workshop "energy conversion solutions towards Net Zero" held on May 29, 2025 organized by Lao Dong Newspaper in coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Dr. Hoang Sy Than - Head of the Planning and Scientific Management Department (Vietnam Institute of nuclear Energy) commented that the development of nuclear power is a major policy, receiving widespread support, but comes with a series of challenges that need to be identified and handled synchronously.
First is the issue of social consensus. Although nuclear power is a clean, stable source of energy and is in line with the Net Zero goal by 2050, there are still concerns from the public. Communication in a transparent, scientific and consistent manner is a prerequisite for building social trust.
The next challenge is technology. If Vietnam cooperates with foreign countries to develop nuclear power plants, it will depend on the technology of the partner. At the Ninh Thuan 2 project, although the Government has assigned EVN and PVN as investors, the technology partner has not yet been identified. negotiations, selection and coordination with partners such as Japan or South Korea need to be accelerated to avoid missing the investment rhythm.
equally important is the challenge of infrastructure and institutions. The Ministry of Science and Technology has established a working group specializing in nuclear power, but the current legal corridor is still thin. When the Law on Atomic Energy is amended and passed, it is necessary to quickly issue circulars and guiding decrees to create a basis for synchronous implementation, avoiding the law from being "suspended".
Regarding human resources - a key factor for the effective operation of nuclear power plants - Vietnam is currently lacking, Dr. Hoang Sy Than said that instead of spreading, it is necessary to focus on training at a number of key institutions such as Hanoi University of Science and Technology and a university in Ho Chi Minh City. In addition to technical engineers, it is necessary to invest in a team of factory management staff and operators throughout the entire life cycle: from construction, operation, maintenance to dismantling.
To remove the above bottlenecks, Mr. Than proposed a number of important solutions. First of all, it is necessary to establish an independent nuclear regulatory agency with sufficient capacity to monitor and assess safety throughout the project life cycle. Next is the formation of technical support organizations, whether research institutes or universities, to assess objectively and in depth technology and analyze nuclear safety.
A notable proposal is the establishment of a Nuclear Research and Development Fund, with funding from the state budget and a portion of the plant's electricity sales revenue. This fund will support research, technology reception and development of the domestic nuclear industry - a method that has been very successful in Korea and Japan.
In addition, preferential policies on equipment import tax, credit, interest rates and financial support for research also need to be designed appropriately, especially for new-generation reactors such as Gen III+ and Gen IV. At the same time, deep cooperation with countries with experience in developing nuclear power also needs to be promoted to shorten time, save costs and improve the efficiency of accessing modern technology.
Speaking at the Workshop, Mr. Hong Sun - Honorary President of the Korea Association of Commerce in Vietnam - emphasized that Korea has had more than 50 years of developing nuclear power without any incidents. He expressed his hope that Vietnam will soon put nuclear power plants into operation, and proposed that the Government continue to reform administrative procedures, especially in the energy sector.
Green energy conversion is a mandatory requirement in the global context. To move forward quickly and steadily on this journey, developing nuclear power is an important link. But to turn the vision into reality, Vietnam needs careful preparation in terms of human resources, technology and institutions. Nuclear power is an opportunity - but also a big test for national governance capacity.
