Explanation of the MoIT on special policies for Ninh Thuan nuclear power project

The Minister of Industry and Trade said: During the discussion session at the Group on February 14, 2025, 44 National Assembly deputies gave their opinions on the draft Resolution. Through synthesis, most National Assembly deputies agreed with the necessity and basic contents of this Resolution. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has submitted a Report on acceptance and explanation to the National Assembly deputies for study. During the discussion at the hall today on the specific mechanisms and policies for investment in the construction of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project, 5 deputies continued to give their opinions on the draft Resolution.

The Minister of Industry and Trade said: During the discussion session at the Group on February 14, 2025, 44 National Assembly deputies gave their opinions on the draft Resolution. Through synthesis, most National Assembly deputies agreed with the necessity and basic contents of this Resolution. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has submitted a Report on acceptance and explanation to the National Assembly deputies for study. During the discussion at the hall today on the specific mechanisms and policies for investment in the construction of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project, 5 deputies continued to give their opinions on the draft Resolution.

“We thank and seriously accept the valid opinions of the delegates to continue to perfect the Draft, and submit it to the National Assembly for consideration and approval,” the Minister emphasized.

To clarify some issues that many National Assembly delegates are interested in, the Minister of Industry and Trade raised 5 main groups of issues:

Firstly, the a need to issue a Resolution.

The demand for electricity in our country in the coming years is very large to meet the demand for economic growth of 8% or more in 2025 and 10% or more in the following years. According to the draft Power Plan VIII (adjusted), the total capacity of the entire system by 2030 is expected to be about 230,000 MW - that is, 3 times the current capacity. In addition, Vietnam has committed to the international community to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, so it is necessary to strongly develop all types of power sources, especially renewable energy and new energy to meet the increased demand for electricity and the demand for clean electricity to serve the country's economic development.

Meanwhile, nuclear power is a clean, base-line power source with high available capacity, capable of providing stable and reasonably priced electricity in the long term, contributing to ensuring national energy security and meeting the target of double-digit economic growth in the new era. Therefore, the Central Government, the National Assembly, and the Government have directed the re-launch of the nuclear power development program and the Ninh Thuan nuclear power projects.

“This is a project with complex technology, only a few countries own it, and the project requires a very large investment capital. Normally in the world, to complete the investment in a nuclear power project of a similar scale, the time from investment approval to operation is about 10 years, the fastest progress of the project is about 7-8 years and there must be specific mechanisms and policies to implement this project” - The Minister of Industry and Trade expressed his opinion and said: “Due to the complexity of the nuclear power project and the first time it is built in our country, to ensure the goal of completing the project within the year (2030-2031), it is necessary to have specific mechanisms and policies strong enough as in the draft Resolution to speed up the progress and shorten the implementation time”.

Second, on the political and legal basis for issuing the Resolution.

The 10th Conference of the 13th Party Central Committee agreed on the policy of restarting the nuclear power development program and the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project. The 8th Session of the 15th National Assembly also issued Resolution No. 174/2024/QH15 dated November 30, 2024, on “Continuing to implement the investment policy for the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project”.

Under the direction of the Politburo (in Notice No. 121-TB/VPTW dated February 6, 2025 of the Central Party Office) and the Resolution of the 12th National Assembly (in Resolution No. 41/2009/QH12 dated November 25, 2009), the Government has issued Submission No. 74/TTr-CP dated February 8, 2025, submitting to the National Assembly for consideration and approval of specific mechanisms and policies for the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project.

Third, on the scope of regulation and subjects of application.

On the scope of regulation, the Government only proposes specific mechanisms and policies under the authority of the National Assembly to apply to 5 groups of work, including:

- Selection of investors and contractors.

- Investment preparation and implementation.

- Financial mechanisms and investment capital arrangement.

- Standards, regulations, technical instructions and norms, unit prices and migration, resettlement, and social security assurance in the project area.

On the subjects of application, the above specific mechanisms and policies only apply to the Ninh Thuan 1, and Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power projects and component projects approved by the 12th National Assembly in Resolution No. 41/2009/QH12 dated November 25, 2009. The application period is from the time the Resolution takes effect until the completion of project investment and putting into operation and exploitation.

“Incorporating the comments of the delegates, the Drafting Agency would like to adjust in the direction of only stating the general “project investor”, at the same time adding the applicable subjects “Ninh Thuan province” and “unit assigned to prepare the project”. Other specific policies (if any) will be further studied, summarized and submitted to competent authorities for consideration and decision in the coming time” - the Minister emphasized.

Fourth, on the synchronization, unity and feasibility of specific mechanisms and policies.

The Ninh Thuan nuclear power project is very large in scale, with complex technology and no experience in implementation in our country, so it is very necessary to have specific and strong mechanisms and policies. However, these mechanisms and policies have not been regulated, or are different from current regulations of Vietnamese law, so it is very necessary to be approved by the National Assembly and issue a Resolution to create a legal basis for ministries, branches, and Ninh Thuan province to implement in the coming time.

When approved by the National Assembly, the above-mentioned specific mechanisms and policies will facilitate and facilitate synchronous implementation. At the same time, many project items (such as negotiating partnership agreements, with general contractors to implement turnkey packages; preparing and approving pre-feasibility and feasibility studies; arranging investment capital; compensation for migration, resettlement, and site preparation) will contribute to accelerating the implementation progress and ensuring the completion of the project according to the direction of the Party and State leaders.

“The implementation of this project is also closely monitored by the international energy organization IAEA, so we can be completely assured,” the Minister of Industry and Trade further emphasized.

Finally, regarding the timing of the Resolution’s adoption

To achieve the goal of completing the project in 2030-2031, contributing to ensuring national energy security, meeting the electricity demand for the country's economic and social development in the new era, and celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Party's founding and the 85th anniversary of the country's founding, it is necessary to soon have specific mechanisms and policies to speed up the implementation progress.

“The Government respectfully requests the National Assembly to consider and approve the Resolution on specific mechanisms and policies for the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project at this Session to serve as a basis for implementation, taking advantage of favorable conditions, the spirit and momentum of attack, overcoming difficulties, and speeding up the progress of the initial important tasks of the project,” the Minister suggested.

“With the spirit of being open-minded, urgent, not perfectionist, but also not hasty or subjective, after the discussion session, we pledge to work with the Agency in charge of the review to thoroughly implement the instructions of senior leaders, carefully study and absorb the maximum opinions of National Assembly deputies to complete the draft Resolution, submit it to the National Assembly for consideration and approval at the end of this session, as a basis for urgently implementing the project,” the Minister emphasized.

During the project implementation process, if new issues arise, or these mechanisms and policies need to be revised or supplemented, the Government will continue to research and propose to competent authorities for consideration and decision./.