Proposing special mechanism for selected location to build nuclear power plant

Discussing at the meeting hall about the draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended), on the morning of May 15, National Assembly delegate Chamalea Thi Thuy ( Ninh Thuan delegation) proposed to study and include in the draft law regulations on special mechanisms and policies related to the location of the construction of Nuclear Power Plants.

Have an attractive mechanism to attract high quality human resources

Ninh Thuan is the first locality in the country to be selected to build 2 nuclear power plants in the coming time. According to delegate Chamalea Thi Thuy, to create a special mechanism for Ninh Thuan, the National Assembly issued Resolution 189/2025/QH15 dated February 19, 2025, stipulating a number of special mechanisms and policies for investment in the construction of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project.

The female delegate said that in the coming time, there may be many other nuclear power plants invested in and built to meet the country's energy security needs, so other localities can also be selected. If special mechanisms and policies on investment in nuclear power project construction are legalized in this draft Law, it will create a unified legal corridor, ensuring common implementation for localities selected to invest in the construction of nuclear power plants in the future.

To develop nuclear power, attracting and developing high-quality human resources for the nuclear energy sector is essential. Delegate Chamalea Thi Thuy said that the draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended) reflects the State's policy in the nuclear energy sector, and regulations on human resource development.

Citing the regulation: “People working in the nuclear energy sector receiving salaries from the state budget are entitled to special allowances. People participating in and implementing nuclear power development in state-owned corporations and groups are entitled to salary allowances,” the female delegate from Ninh Thuan said that more mechanisms are needed to attract human resources, especially high-quality human resources in the nuclear energy sector.

Delegate Chamalea Thi Thuy proposed that special mechanisms and policies on investment in nuclear power project construction be legalized in this draft Law. (Photo: PV/Vietnam+)

More specifically, the delegate recommended that the drafting committee should study the provisions on human resource development policies in this Law and apply special preferential policies to attract, train, and develop high-quality human resources that are similar and consistent with the principles and policies on science , technology, and innovation activities stipulated in Article 4 of the draft Law on Science, Technology, and Innovation (amended) being submitted at this session.

“The establishment of special incentive policies to attract, train and develop high-quality human resources in the nuclear energy sector in this Law will be the legal basis and guideline for planning and developing relevant incentive policies to attract high-quality human resources more effectively to develop nuclear energy,” delegate Chamalea Thi Thuy proposed.

Meanwhile, delegate Pham Van Hoa (Dong Thap delegation) emphasized the socialization in the field of atomic energy (Article 13). According to the delegate, this is a very important issue, including organizations that need to have the necessary conditions to pay attention to, because these are organizations that allow the establishment, for example, radiation facilities, radioactive substance processing facilities, nuclear reactor construction, etc.

"Regulations on ensuring safety and security for nuclear plants and nuclear facilities must be strict, from design to construction, and must be assessed," said a delegate from Dong Thap.

According to delegate Thach Phuoc Binh (Tra Vinh delegation), the state needs to prioritize development according to a roadmap from low to high in terms of complexity, technology and risk level, including: the medical field, application of atomic energy in cancer radiotherapy imaging diagnosis, and quality control of radioactive drugs, which are fields that have a direct impact on people's health and are in great demand and easy to access technology.

On the other hand, the draft Law lacks the content of responsibility related to legal responsibility for management officials who intentionally fail to report or falsely report on nuclear radiation incidents. Therefore, it is necessary to add a strict prohibition on heads of agencies and organizations responsible for reporting but intentionally fail to report on nuclear radiation incidents.

“International experience from serious accidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima shows the serious consequences when information about an incident is concealed, delayed in publication or incorrect,” Mr. Binh cited, adding that sanctions against concealing the truth and falsely reporting incidents are not only a management need but also an ethical need and a public duty, contributing to deterrence and increasing transparency.

Design a separate chapter on nuclear facility safety and security

Clause 5, Article 7 of the draft law stipulates that the Government shall prescribe the national regulatory agency for radiation and nuclear safety. Regarding this content, delegate Trinh Thi Tu Anh (Lam Dong delegation) said that according to the safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the nuclear regulatory agency must be an independent agency and be primarily responsible for nuclear safety. The main role of this agency is to establish and enforce safety regulations, license nuclear activities and monitor compliance to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of radiation, ionization and nuclear accidents.

For that reason, the state management agency for radiation and nuclear safety needs to have a worthy position and be regulated by law. In case the Government assigns regulations, delegates recommend that it is necessary to ensure that this agency operates objectively based on the principle that nuclear safety and security are paramount.

Sharing the same opinion, delegate Dao Chi Nghia (Can Tho City delegation) said that Article 36 on the trial operation of nuclear power plants does not clearly stipulate the independent monitoring mechanism of the nuclear regulatory agency during the trial operation process. However, the trial operation phase still has many potential risks because it is the first time the system is operated, independent and close monitoring is necessary to protect the safety of the community and the environment.

"It is recommended that the drafting agency add regulations that the nuclear forensic agency and nuclear regulatory agency are responsible for directly and continuously monitoring the test operation process and are required to stop the test if signs of unsafety are detected," the delegate proposed.

On the side of the drafting agency, Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung said that in order to facilitate the implementation of Vietnam's first nuclear power plant, the draft law allows the use of special measures for rapid implementation, such as applying a special mechanism in bidding; using international standards, seller standards and projects with expenses for appraisal and training; some other special incentives of Resolution 198 will be shown in other legal documents.

Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung explains and clarifies a number of issues raised by National Assembly deputies. (Photo: An Dang/VNA)

Mr. Hung said that nuclear radiation safety management throughout the entire life cycle of a nuclear plant through many stages, from site selection, feasibility study to the final stages of closure, post-closure of the nuclear power plant... Each stage has an assessment of nuclear radiation safety, meeting the conditions to continue with the following stages, such as: meeting the conditions to proceed with construction, meeting the conditions for trial operation and official operation, this is a comprehensive approach according to international standards and is necessary.

"Incorporating the opinions of delegates, the draft law has been designed with a separate chapter on nuclear facility safety and security; a separate chapter on nuclear power plants, in which regular monitoring activities of the nuclear radiation safety management agency are maintained throughout the plant's life cycle," said Minister Nguyen Manh Hung.

In addition, the authorities also develop measures and capacity to respond to incidents; build a culture of nuclear safety and security, because the application of atomic energy and nuclear energy will become increasingly widespread in many aspects of social life.

The draft law meets the legal framework for State management in the field of atomic energy, including: application development, especially ensuring safety and security; the principle of ensuring safety and security has been given a very high priority in the draft law, reflected throughout each management object, from radioactive sources, radiation equipment, to nuclear materials, nuclear reactors and used nuclear fuel; additional regulations on the list of goods subject to radiation inspection upon import...

In particular, the draft law has a separate chapter on compensation for radiation damage and nuclear damage, and also a separate chapter on radioactive waste treatment, with the Government assigning detailed regulations.

“The drafting agency will study and absorb the opinions of National Assembly deputies on supplementing principles, on community participation and supervision. In addition, the provision of a separate chapter on nuclear inspection has demonstrated the IAEA's role in coordinating and controlling to ensure nuclear activities in Vietnam are for peaceful purposes as well as the responsibility to comply with international commitments and obligations, especially in the implementation phase of the construction of a new research reactor, which is the upcoming Ninh Thuan nuclear power project,” the Minister added./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/de-xuat-co-che-dac-biet-voi-vi-tri-duoc-chon-xay-dung-nha-may-dien-nhat-nhan-post1038620.vnp