These locations are considered promising and safe, have been thoroughly researched, and are unlikely to be replaced by alternative sites – according to a 2022 monitoring report by the National Assembly's Economic Committee.
Ninh Thuan was selected after meeting stringent criteria.
On November 25, 2009, the National Assembly issued Resolution No. 41/2009/NQ-QH12 on the investment policy for the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project.
However, at its second session, the 14th National Assembly issued Resolution No. 31/2016/QH14 on halting the investment plan for the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project, effective from November 22, 2016.
Now, research into restarting nuclear power projects is being considered. The draft amended Electricity Law has also recently updated the direction for nuclear power development.
At this time, the location for the nuclear power plant was also discussed. Previously, Ninh Thuan had been chosen as the site for two nuclear power plants.
The planned locations for the Ninh Thuan 1 and 2 nuclear power plants underwent a lengthy and meticulous selection process, meeting stringent international criteria. A 2022 report by the National Assembly's Economic Committee, monitoring the implementation of Resolution No. 31/2016/QH14 on halting the investment in the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project for the 2016-2021 period, clearly highlighted this rigorous selection process.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the process of selecting a site for a nuclear power plant consists of the following three stages:
Step 1 - Site search and exploration
Step 2 - Site Assessment
Step 3: Additional research before and after commissioning.
Stage 1, the site search and exploration process, consists of three phases: Phase 1 - Area analysis and selection of potential sites (implemented during 1996-2000); Phase 2 - Screening of potential sites and selection of candidate sites; Phase 3 - Comparison and prioritization of application sites (implemented during 2001-2007).
Many stringent IAEA criteria include: electricity supply coverage; electrical systems for construction; cooling water sources; supplementary freshwater sources; construction site; fault lines; earthquakes; volcanoes; storms; tornadoes; tsunamis; floods; prevailing wind direction; transportation systems; distance to airports; distance to military areas and chemical storage facilities; resettlement compensation; type of construction land and local support…
To carry out the site evaluation, the two partners, the E4 - KIEP - EPT consulting consortium and JAPC consulting firm, have implemented activities over several years. The results show that Phase 1 identified 20 potential sites across 11 provinces.
After comparison, evaluation, and ranking, 10 sites in 7 provinces were selected. Finally, 8 sites in 6 provinces were chosen (according to Decision No. 906/QD-TTg dated June 17, 2010, of the Prime Minister approving the orientation for the development of nuclear power in Vietnam until 2030).
Specifically, Vinh Truong village in Phuoc Dinh commune, Thuan Nam district, and Thai An village in Vinh Hai commune, Ninh Hai district, Ninh Thuan province, have been thoroughly studied and surveyed over a long period by relevant units and foreign partners, meeting the stringent requirements of the IAEA.
Site selection was also very expensive. From 2010 to 2015, the funding for feasibility studies and site assessments for each location exceeded US$30 million, provided to Vietnam by the Russian Federation and the Japanese governments as non-refundable aid.
During the period 2011-2015, site-related work entered phase 2 - the site evaluation phase; Vietnam Electricity Corporation (EVN) contracted with partners, the E4 - KIEP - EPT consulting consortium (Russian Federation) and Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC), to implement the preparation of site approval documents (SAD) and feasibility studies (FS) for the Ninh Thuan 1 and Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power plant projects. The contract funding also came from non-refundable aid.
According to Report No. 80/BC-UBND dated April 1, 2022, of the People's Committee of Ninh Thuan province, the total planned area for the construction of nuclear power plants is 1,642.22 hectares (over 90% is agricultural land), and the population in the construction area is 3,717 people/1,063 households.
What happened to these sites after the nuclear power plant project was temporarily halted?
According to the monitoring report, in implementing Resolution No. 31/2016/QH14, the Government adjusted the land use planning and plan until 2020 (Resolution 113/NQ-CP dated August 30, 2018) for the Ninh Thuan 1 Nuclear Power Plant area to land for renewable energy development; the Ninh Thuan 2 Nuclear Power Plant area maintained its current land use status. To date, the planning for the construction site of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant, as per the decisions of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, remains in effect.
"It is necessary to determine whether the cancellation of the Decisions related to the approval of the construction sites for the Ninh Thuan 1 and 2 nuclear power projects will be interpreted by partners and domestic public opinion as the complete termination of the nuclear power development program in Ninh Thuan, while these sites are assessed as potential and safe, have been thoroughly studied, and are unlikely to have alternative locations," the monitoring report noted.
The National Assembly's Economic Committee then proposed that the Government consider temporarily suspending the planning for the proposed locations of the Ninh Thuan 1 and 2 nuclear power plants until the competent authority makes an official decision on the matter.
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