Government seeks monopoly over nuclear power

The government wants to retain its monopoly over nuclear power, proposed amendments to the Electricity Law show.

The government wants to exclusively build nuclear power plants as these are considered critical to national security, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien said as he presented the amendments to the National Assembly Monday.

The construction, operation and decommissioning of the plants and ensuring their safety must comply with the Atomic Energy Law and other relevant regulations.

The plans for nuclear power generation must be integrated into the national power development plan to ensure energy security.

Nuclear plants are required to use proven technologies.

The government will create mechanisms for the investment, construction and operation of the nuclear plants.

PM Pham Minh Chinh recently instructed government agencies to study the development of nuclear power and make amendments to the National Power Development Plan to include it.

In 2009 the government had announced plans to build two nuclear power plants in the south-central province of Ninh Thuan at a cost of several billion dollars, but the National Assembly shot down the proposal in 2016 saying they were unaffordable.