– By Chris Reed –
China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission for cooperation in the nuclear power sector, the company said on its website.
According to the MOU, Guangdong Nuclear will aid Vietnam in nuclear technology transfer in the future, the company said earlier this week, without providing further details.
Vietnam will sign a contract with Russian energy group Rosatom later this year for the construction of the country's first nuclear power plant–the 2,000- megawatt Ninh Thuan 1 plant, Pham Khanh Toan, head of the Vietnam Institute of Energy under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said last month.
According to Dr. Phan Minh Tuan,- Head of EVN renewable energy and nuclear power projects' investment Board, the reason for the selection of Russian technology is that Russia is an experienced developer of civil nuclear power for commercial purposes with light water reactor technology which has been operating safely for decades.
The 2,000-MW Tianwan nuclear power station in eastern China's Jiangsu province, which went into operation in 2007, also used Russian technology.
Vietnam will select 8 – 10 other locations to build more nuclear power plants from now to 2030.