Regional nuclear: Russia, Vietnam sign deal to build Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear plant

By Romel S. Gurky

Russia and Vietnam have signed an intergovernmental agreement to cooperate on the construction of the Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant, establishing a legal framework for the long-delayed project.

The agreement was signed on March 23 in Moscow during an official visit by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. The document was inked by Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom, and Tran Van Son, Minister and Head of the Office of the Government of Vietnam, in the presence of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

The project envisages the construction of two Russian-designed power units using VVER-1200 reactor technology, with a combined capacity of 2,400 megawatts. Russia’s Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant-2 has been selected as the reference design. The agreement outlines key terms for project implementation and is expected to guide bilateral cooperation in nuclear energy over the coming decades.

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Likhachev said the deal goes beyond the construction of two reactors, describing it as the foundation for a long-term industrial partnership aimed at strengthening Vietnam’s energy security and supporting economic growth.

The agreement builds on broader nuclear cooperation between the two countries, including plans to develop a Center for Nuclear Science and Technology in Vietnam featuring a Russian-designed research reactor. Feasibility studies for the center are expected to be completed by April 2026, after which contract discussions will begin.

Russia and Vietnam also collaborate on the operation of the Dalat research reactor, which uses Russian fuel to produce medical isotopes. Beyond nuclear energy, the partnership is expanding into areas such as logistics along the Northern Sea Route, container shipping and advanced technologies including energy storage.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak