PM Chinh directs EVN to complete pre-feasibility study for nuclear power plant this month

Chinh, who also serves as head of the Steering Committee for Nuclear Power Plant Construction, gave the instructions while chairing the committee’s third meeting in Hanoi on Wednesday.

At the meeting, he emphasized that EVN, the project’s investor, must finalize and submit the pre-feasibility study report within October to ensure timely progress.

The plant is located in the former Ninh Thuan Province in south-central Vietnam, which was merged into Khanh Hoa Province under a national administrative restructuring effective July 1, 2025.

The Ministry of Finance was tasked with drafting a government resolution to separate the land clearance and resettlement components from the project into an independent one to ensure greater flexibility and efficiency in implementation.

PM Chinh requested that the Khanh Hoa administration mobilize the entire political system to accelerate site clearance and resettlement, with the provincial Party chief taking direct responsibility, supported by relevant ministries and agencies.

He emphasized that resettlement for residents in the project area must guarantee new living conditions equal to or better than their current ones.

The PM also required relevant agencies to complete negotiations on cooperation agreements for the construction of the Ninh Thuan 1 plant and finalize all related legal frameworks by November 2025.

The Ministry of Education and Training was tasked with working closely with EVN to assess human resource demands — including quantity, qualifications, and expertise — and to develop training programs as well as attract domestic and foreign specialists for the project.

PM Chinh urged members of the steering committee to enhance inspection, supervision, and progress monitoring to ensure the project’s effective implementation.

The Ninh Thuan 1 project, together with the Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power plant — also located in Khanh Hoa — was originally approved by Vietnam’s legislative National Assembly (NA) in 2009.

However, both projects were suspended in 2016 due to safety concerns, high costs, technological challenges, and shifting global energy trends.

On November 30, 2024, the NA passed a resolution to resume the projects after an eight-year hiatus, aiming to bolster national energy security and advance Vietnam’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Following that, PM Chinh established the Steering Committee for Nuclear Power Plant Construction on January 10, 2025, to oversee and support the projects’ restart.

Under a decision issued in early February, he designated EVN and the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) as the investors of the Ninh Thuan 1 and Ninh Thuan 2 plants, respectively.

Recently, the Vietnamese Politburo issued Resolution 70-NQ/TW, signed by Party General Secretary To Lam on its behalf, urging the swift implementation of the two plants, with operations targeted for 2030–35.