Officials in Hanoi, Vietnam, said the country's Atomic Energy Institute (Vinatom) and Westinghouse Electric Company had signed a deal to train Vietnamese personnel to manage and operate nuclear power facilities.
The manpower training deal signed Thursday was hailed as a necessary step for Vietnam's nuclear power ambitions. Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Tran Viet Thanh said at the signing ceremony that it was important for the country to have its own pool of nuclear power experts.
U.S. Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam Claire Pierangelo noted the deal was signed on the year of the 20th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations with Vietnam, TalkVietnam reported.
As part of the deal, Westinghouse said it had bestowed four scholarships for Vietnamese personnel to study civil nuclear power in the United States.