Assessing the second stage safety infrastructure of Ninh Thuan nuclear power project

Vietnam is in the process of completing the necessary infrastructures for the nuclear power development under the guideline of the IAEA, including common infrastructures and safety infrastructures.

Regarding the safety infrastructures, IAEA gives 20 factors and 200 concrete actions for 3 stages of NPP implementation that every nation has to carry out in process of building and completing safety infrastructures. The first stage ends with giving out a policy on the nuclear power development, the second - with beginning to organize bidding for NPP construction and the third - with putting its first unit into operation.

To support the nations to review the current state of safety infrastructures for the nuclear power development, the IAEA has established an Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) and once in every 5 years supports the nations to assess their current state of the safety infrastructure of a nation and give the necessary recommendations for the nation to continue completing it to meet the requirements on NPP development in accordance with IAEA's guideline.

In 2009, a group of IRRS had already a business trip to Vietnam to review whether the current state of safety infrastructure of the country to meet the necessary requirements for Vietnam to give out the policy on the nuclear power development (the first stage). IRRS -2009 concluded, Vietnam has basically built the safety infrastructures, ensuring for the policy on the nuclear power development according to the National Assembly Decision on November 25, 2009. However, there were a lot of issues that  Vietnam needs to supplement and perfect.

For recent 5 years in process of Ninh Thuan NPP implementation  Vietnam has obtained a lot of progress in implementing the recommendations of IRRS -2009 on safety infrastructures , but there are also many shortcomings and inadequate remains in comparison  with IAEA guidelines. To help the State Steering Committee promptly directing the construction of the necessary safety infrastructures for the nuclear power development, the Ministry of Science and Technology of Vietnam has invited IRRS – 2014 Mission to Vietnam for working with its relevant agencies on the construction of the safety infrastructures to meet the safety requirements for the second stage implementation of Ninh Thuan NPP.

Before the IRRS-2014 Mission coming to Vietnam, the relevant agencies of Vietnam implemented self-assessment of the safety infrastructures and sent self-assessment results to the IRRS -2014 Mission.

Within 10 days (Sep. 29 – Oct. 7th, 2014), the experts of IAEA will work with relevant agencies to assess and give recommendations, proposals to the Vietnam Government on strengthening and perfecting the necessary safety infrastructures for completion of the second stage of Ninh Thuan NPP. Based on the results of IRRS -2014 Mission, IAEA will have a report on the current state of the safety infrastructures, its relative proposals and recommendations to Vietnamese Government.

VietnamEnergy.vn