Vietnam's Ninh Thuan Nuclear Power Project to Be Split Into Three Independent Projects; National Assembly Passes Related Bill

[Hanoi, Vietnam = Correspondent Kim Jun-seok] The National Assembly of Vietnam will move ahead with the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant project by splitting it into three independent projects.
According to local media on the 25th, the National Assembly of Vietnam gave final approval on the 24th to the plan to divide the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project.
Under the decision, the project will be reorganized into three separate projects: Ninh Thuan 1 Nuclear Power Plant, Ninh Thuan 2 Nuclear Power Plant, and compensation, support and resettlement work. After the split, the agencies and project operators in charge of each project will be able to continue using the data and results from work already completed.
Ngo Van Tuan, Minister of Finance of Vietnam, explained that the split is intended to secure the legal and administrative independence of each project. As a result, future procedures are expected to move forward quickly as individual projects, without being tied to the progress or pace of other projects. The Vietnamese government plans to reorganize the Nuclear Power Plant Construction Steering Committee to maintain a unified management and coordination system across the three projects even after the split.
According to the resolution, the establishment, review, approval and implementation of investment policies for Ninh Thuan 1 Nuclear Power Plant and Ninh Thuan 2 Nuclear Power Plant will be carried out separately, in line with the nature of each project and its financing method.
For the compensation, support and resettlement project, the Khanh Hoa Province People’s Committee will serve as the lead agency and continue according to the previously approved plan. In particular, simplified designated-bid procedures under the Bidding Act will apply to consulting and non-consulting package tenders for the project.
The Ninh Thuan nuclear power project, Vietnam's first nuclear power project, was suspended in 2016. It is now being revived after the National Assembly of Vietnam decided at the end of 2024 to resume the project. Last February, the Vietnamese government designated Vietnam Electricity (EVN) as the project operator for Ninh Thuan 1 Nuclear Power Plant, while assigning Ninh Thuan 2 Nuclear Power Plant to Vietnam National Industry and Energy Group (PVN).
Meanwhile, in connection with the compensation, support and resettlement project, the Khanh Hoa Province People’s Committee approved relocation, resettlement and site clearance work for the two nuclear power plants, and the land needed to move the project forward has largely been secured. 

[email protected] Kim Jun-seok Reporter