Nuclear Power - A Strategic Pillar in National Development
At the direct and online working session from Hanoi , Da Lat, Ho Chi Minh City, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung, Deputy Minister Le Xuan Dinh and leaders of units under the Ministry listened to Director Tran Chi Thanh and a team of leading experts report on the development orientation of the Institute in the coming period.
Three major focuses were set: developing nuclear power, promoting small modular reactor (SMR) technology, and expanding the application of nuclear energy to serve socio -economic development. According to the Minister, in the context of the global move towards green and sustainable energy transition, nuclear power plays a key role in ensuring energy security, promoting socio-economic development, and enhancing national science and technology potential. He emphasized that nuclear power is not only a story of the energy industry but also the foundation for a green economy, for artificial intelligence, and for the future of the country.
Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Manh Hung spoke at the meeting.
Minister Nguyen Manh Hung affirmed that the Party and State focus on developing nuclear energy in the national science and technology strategy. The draft Law on Atomic Energy (amended) also clearly establishes the role of nuclear power as a strategic pillar.
In particular, he stated that in order to develop renewable energy such as wind power and solar power, Vietnam must have nuclear power as a stable foundation. Referring to the direction of General Secretary To Lam at the Standing Meeting of the Central Steering Committee on Science and Technology Development, Innovation and Digital Transformation on May 29, the Minister said that the identification of strategic technologies must be based on scientific methodology, closely following long-term goals and solving major problems of the country. In particular, nuclear technology, especially SMR, must be given top priority in the list of national strategic technologies.
He also noted that to master nuclear power technology, the active participation of the business sector is needed. Businesses and people are at the center, while the State plays a leading role, creating an environment, policies and resources to promote the strong development of nuclear energy, serving comprehensively the socio-economic development.
Synchronous investment - towards mastering SMR technology
Appreciating the potential of the Institute after 50 years of formation and development, the Minister said that this is a key moment for the Institute to transform and play a central role in mastering nuclear power technology, one of the pillars of national strategy.
Overview of the working session.
According to the Minister, the Institute needs to "think big, do big and take on big tasks" commensurate with its current role and potential. In the research strategy, it is necessary to flexibly allocate funds for highly applicable tasks that can be implemented immediately; focus on cutting-edge, large-scale research, in which cooperation and hiring of foreign experts are encouraged to shorten the time to master technology.
The Minister cited examples from the Middle East, China, and Belarus - countries that have succeeded by daring to think big, act big, and attract global experts to make breakthroughs in technology. Vietnam has also begun to change its mindset by assigning general contracts to domestic enterprises and inviting international experts to join. According to the Minister, the Institute needs to choose a bold direction and take on big national-level jobs.
In the upcoming orientation, the Institute is assigned the responsibility of focusing on a number of priority areas: Research and application of accelerator technology linked to the market; Investment in key laboratories for research on rare earth technology and production of radioactive pharmaceuticals; Mastering mineral processing technology; Deploying research programs on rare earth extraction and research on nuclear fuel rod materials.
In addition, the Minister shared that research activities cannot rely solely on the state budget. The Institute needs to expand cooperation with businesses, form an innovation ecosystem, and monitor the entire research life cycle, from idea to commercialization.
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Le Xuan Dinh also noted that the Institute needs to clearly define its position and mission in the context of implementing Resolution No. 57, and at the same time develop a specific action plan, including it in the documents of the upcoming Party Congress of the Institute. The Institute needs to demonstrate its leading role in the national nuclear ecosystem.
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Le Xuan Dinh spoke at the meeting.
In conclusion, Minister Nguyen Manh Hung emphasized the role of the Institute in promoting the construction of Vietnam's first nuclear power plant, especially testing SMR technology. This is an important technological breakthrough, associated with high requirements on safety, standards and legal corridors.
He proposed a series of strategic directions: Researching pilot policies for small-capacity SMRs; Strengthening management, operation and decentralization capacity of laboratories; Promoting the application of atomic energy in social life; Comprehensive digital transformation in research and operation.
Leaders of the Institute and representatives of units under the Institute discussed at the meeting.
The Minister assigned the Institute to develop a roadmap for nuclear power development in 5-year phases, up to 2045, with special attention to the phase up to 2030. Each phase needs to have clear goals, divided according to the axes: human resources, technology, infrastructure, market.
In parallel, the Institute needs to: Establish a Nuclear Development Fund to proactively finance; Develop a set of national nuclear capacity indicators; Play a leading role in developing a national atomic energy development strategy. This strategy needs to be based on six pillars: research and development; application of nuclear technology; human resource training; infrastructure for research; SMR development; and international cooperation.
The Party and State have great expectations for the Institute. The Minister affirmed that the development of the Institute is not only a story of applying atomic energy, but also a journey to reposition Vietnamese technology on the world map.
Entering a new stage of development, the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute is expected to become the leading ASEAN research institute in the field of civil nuclear technology, making practical contributions to the sustainable development and modernization of the country's economy.
Source: https://mst.gov.vn/mo-lon-lam-lon-quyet-tam-lon-hon-de-lam-chu-cong-nghe-dien-hat-nhan-197250530223905009.htm
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