Breakthrough policies needed to develop nuclear power

NDO - According to National Assembly delegates, the issuance of special mechanisms and policies for investment in the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant is correct and consistent with the reality of the requirements of ensuring national energy security and the commitment to reduce emissions.

Strategic choices to ensure energy security

On the morning of February 17, continuing the program of the 9th Extraordinary Session, the National Assembly discussed the draft Resolution of the National Assembly on special mechanisms and policies for investment in the construction of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project.

Speaking at the conference, delegate Duong Khac Mai (Dak Nong) emphasized that with the increasing demand for energy, the development of nuclear power is an objective necessity. He cited many countries in the world that have been focusing on investing in and upgrading nuclear reactors to ensure energy security and reduce carbon emissions.

Commenting on the importance of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project, delegate Duong Khac Mai said that the National Assembly's issuance of a special policy mechanism is the right step, in line with the reality and requirements of the times.

This is not only a condition for developing a stable power source to meet the needs of socio-economic growth, but also a strong commitment of Vietnam in achieving the goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

Delegate Duong Khac Mai (Dak Nong) speaks. (Photo: DUY LINH)

However, according to delegates, in addition to potential benefits, the project also faces many challenges, especially in terms of finance, technology, human resources and environmental safety. Vietnam is still limited in the field of nuclear technology, so close cooperation with foreign partners is needed.

“Many of the human resources we have trained for previous projects are now working outside and overseas. Meanwhile, the draft Resolution has not clearly mentioned the policy to attract and retain talent in this field. Without a suitable human resource policy, it will be difficult to implement and operate the project in the short and long term,” Mr. Mai emphasized.

Therefore, delegates suggested that the Government have a strategy to systematically train human resources, create a mechanism to attract talent, and at the same time mobilize maximum resources from domestic state-owned and private enterprises to reduce pressure on investment capital from the budget.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Tran Quoc Nam - Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Ninh Thuan province said that the Party Committee and people of the province are always ready to implement the project, considering this an opportunity for sustainable development for the locality and the whole country.

Delegate Tran Quoc Nam (Ninh Thuan) speaks. (Photo: DUY LINH)

One of the important issues is site clearance to ensure project progress. According to Mr. Nam, since 2009, when the policy of building a nuclear power plant was approved, people in the project area were ready to give up their land for the national key project. However, after more than 15 years, many households still expect reasonable compensation and resettlement policies to ensure a better life.

Under the direction of the Prime Minister, all site clearance work for the two nuclear power plants in Ninh Thuan must be completed by 2025 to hand over clean land to investors. To achieve this, Ninh Thuan has proposed a number of additional policies related to compensation, resettlement support, and ensuring long-term livelihoods for the people.

Mr. Nam emphasized: People in the project area have only one wish - the new place to live must be truly better, with a stable, prosperous and happy life. This is also the wish and what General Secretary To Lam instructed during his visit to Ninh Thuan in December 2024.

The Ninh Thuan provincial delegate also said that with the spirit of "Whatever can be done, do it immediately, without waiting", the province is making efforts to carry out the necessary work to ensure timely completion of assigned tasks.

"Ninh Thuan, for the whole country and together with the whole country, completes the task of a particularly important key project for the country's prosperity and happiness," affirmed the Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Ninh Thuan province.

Special mechanism - driving force for project progress

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien speaks to explain and receive opinions from National Assembly delegates. (Photo: DUY LINH)

At the meeting, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien presented a report explaining and accepting the opinions of National Assembly deputies on the draft Resolution related to specific mechanisms and policies for the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project.

Minister Nguyen Hong Dien emphasized that our country's electricity demand in the coming years is very large. To meet economic growth of 8-10% by 2030, the total power capacity needs to reach about 230,000 MW, three times the current amount. In the context of Vietnam's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, developing clean and sustainable power sources is inevitable.

Nuclear power is considered a stable source of electricity, with high available capacity and reasonable cost in the long term. In particular, this is a source of electricity that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the implementation of international commitments on environmental protection. Therefore, the Central Government, the National Assembly and the Government have agreed on the policy of restarting the Nuclear Power Development Program and the Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project.

Given the complexity of nuclear power projects – requiring high technology, large capital resources and long implementation periods – the development of specific policy mechanisms is a prerequisite to ensure progress.

Minister Nguyen Hong Dien cited that in the world, to complete the investment in a similar nuclear power project, the time usually lasts about 10 years, the fastest is 7-8 years. Therefore, to ensure the goal of completing the project in the period of 2030-2031, there needs to be a strong enough specific mechanism to speed up the progress.

Accordingly, the draft Resolution proposes 5 specific policy groups related to the selection of investors and contractors; investment preparation and implementation; financial mechanisms and capital arrangement; technical standards and regulations; migration, resettlement and social security. These are important contents that help create favorable conditions for the synchronous implementation of project items, from negotiating partnership agreements, arranging capital, preparing pre-feasibility study reports to training human resources, etc.

This draft Resolution was developed based on the opinions of National Assembly deputies and ensured consistency and feasibility. Minister Nguyen Hong Dien affirmed that when approved by the National Assembly, the Resolution will create an important legal basis to help ministries, branches and localities implement smoothly, meeting the requirements of socio-economic development and ensuring national energy security.

Therefore, the Government proposes that the National Assembly consider and approve the Resolution on specific mechanisms and policies for the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project at this session to serve as a basis for implementation, taking advantage of favorable conditions, the spirit and determination to overcome difficulties, and speeding up the progress of the project's initial important tasks.

“With the spirit of being open-minded, urgent, not perfectionist but also not hasty or subjective, after today's discussion session, we pledge to work with the Agency in charge of the review to thoroughly implement the instructions of senior leaders, carefully study and absorb the maximum opinions of National Assembly deputies to complete the draft Resolution, submit it to the National Assembly for consideration and approval at the end of this session, as a basis for urgently implementing the project. During the project implementation process, if new issues arise or these mechanisms and policies need to be amended or supplemented, the Government will continue to study to propose to competent authorities for consideration and decision,” Minister Nguyen Hong Dien emphasized.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/can-chinh-sach-dot-pha-de-phat-trien-dien-hat-nhan-post860319.html