A delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is on a trip to Vietnam from December 1 to 11 to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the national nuclear power infrastructure through an Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) Mission.
The delegation will work with the Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety (VARANS) under the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), which acts as the focal point to preside over and coordinate with relevant Vietnamese ministries and sectors.
This is a crucial activity in the roadmap for preparing the deployment of the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project and similar future projects.
According to the MoST, the INIR mission team consists of seven IAEA experts, three international experts invited by the IAEA from the UK, Brazil, and Bulgaria, and one observer from Egypt.
The delegation will work with representatives from the ministries of Industry and Trade, Finance, Public Security, National Defence, Foreign Affairs, Agriculture and Environment, Education and Training, Vietnam Electricity, the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group, and the People's Committee of Khanh Hoa province, where the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power plants will be built.
At a working session with Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Le Xuan Dinh on December 1, Mr. Eric Mathet, the IAEA team leader, stated that this mission marks an important milestone in Vietnam's journey toward establishing a safe, secure, and sustainable nuclear power program, while taking into account its safety obligations.
According to IAEA guidelines, nuclear power infrastructure encompasses 19 key issues representing all activities and preparations regarding physical facilities, equipment, sites, auxiliary structures, and legal documents, as well as the economic and human resources required to serve the nuclear power development program.
For a country initiating its first nuclear power program like Vietnam, the infrastructure development process must undergo three phases, marked by three corresponding milestones:
Phase 1: Preparing to make a knowledgeable commitment to a nuclear power program, marked by Milestone 1 (Ready to make a knowledgeable commitment to the first nuclear power projects).
Phase 2: Preparing for the construction of a nuclear power plant, marked by Milestone 2 (Ready to invite bids/negotiate a contract for the first project).
Phase 3: Constructing and commissioning the first nuclear power plant, marked by Milestone 3 (Ready to commission and operate the first nuclear power plant).
The current mission focuses on conducting an objective and comprehensive review and assessment of all 19 nuclear power infrastructure issues against Milestone 2, in accordance with IAEA guidelines.
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