Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan made the opening speech at the Workshop
Participating in the Workshop were Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan, Vice Director of the State Steering Committee on Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Plant Project –chaired the workshop; Deputy Minister of Trade Hoàng Quốc Vượng; Deputy Minister of Science and TechnologyLê Đình Tiến; Deputy General Director –Director of IAEA’s Atomic Energy Department Alexander Bychkov; representative leaders of the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment of the National Assembly; the Office of the Government; Vietnam Electricity Group; the Management Board of Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Plant Project and some related Ministries and branches, experts on atomic energy of Russia, Japan …
Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan affirmed that Vietnam has determined to build civil nuclear power plants for peaceful purposes, ensured the energy security and safety for people and environment. However, Vietnam has entered the nuclear power program in the context that the infrastructure for implementing the nuclear power plant project as human resource, financial resources … are still of low-level development. Over the past years, IAEA has conducted many cooperative and supportive activities for Vietnam to develop its atomic energy branch as supplying equipment, transferring calculation software, training staff on technology research and safety analysis and assessment; managing and treating radio-activity, protecting the environment; consulting and supporting the development of legal basis, participation and enforcement of international nuclear treaties …
Delivering a speech in the Workshop, Mr. Alexander Bychkov said that for the post-Fukushima period, the nuclear power development could be delayed but can’t be reversed. New nations which really have intentions to develop nuclear power have still considered nuclear power as a reliable and acceptable energy source.
Also according to Mr. Alexander Bychkov, key factors contributing to the success of the nuclear power program include the participation of relevant stakeholders in the infrastructure, issuance of national laws in which roles, responsibilities and authority extension for owners –organizations operating in the future as well as legal agencies should be clearly identified. “In order to make the society believe that nuclear power is safe, secure and economical for which the Government, industry and other organizations should coordinate in its planning. The NuclearEnergy Program Implementing Organization (NEPIO) would play an important role in coordinating the nuclear powerdevelopment in each nation”.
In the Workshop, experts on the atomic energy filed also made presentations and assessments on the current status of Vietnam’s nuclear power infrastructure, comprehensive approach covering 19 nuclear power issues as well as experience of the Russian Federation, Japan… in the nuclear power development, especially after Fukushima incident. At the same time, the participants also discussed about challenges and solutions for new nuclear power programs, internationalrequirements and guidelines on establishing safety frameworks…