Vietnam aims for first nuclear power plant by 2030, but experts question feasibility

[HO CHI MINH CITY] As Vietnam aims to bring its first nuclear power plants online by as early as 2030, the government has quickly moved to engage with foreign partners that export the technology, assign state utilities as lead investors, and, most recently, issue special policies to accelerate the project’s implementation.

All these efforts have taken place in less than three months after relaunching its Ninh Thuan nuclear project last November, after it was suspended in 2016.

The goal is to put at least one of its first two nuclear power plants into operation between 2031 and 2035, though the trade minister has also indicated that the government will try to get it working by 2030. The plants are seen as crucial infrastructure for Vietnam to achieve double-digit growth in the coming years, as well as fulfil its net-zero commitment by mid-century.