Minister of Science and Technology Vũ Hải Quân speaks at the meeting. — NA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Safety must be the highest priority as Việt Nam develops nuclear power, Minister of Science and Technology Vũ Hải Quân said on Wednesday, stressing that there could be no room for mistakes in the sector.

"This is a responsibility to the country, to the Fatherland, not just an ordinary task," Quân said at a meeting with the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety. 

Preparations for the development and application of nuclear energy are being stepped up as the country moves to revive its nuclear power programme, with regulators facing growing demands for technical expertise, legal frameworks and human resources, he said. 

Nguyễn Hoàng Linh, director of the Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety, said his agency's workload and professional requirements had increased rapidly as Việt Nam accelerates the development and application of atomic energy and implements its nuclear power programme.

The agency led and coordinated the drafting of an Atomic Energy Law, approved by the National Assembly in 2025 and effective from January 1, 2026, as well as four government decrees and three guiding circulars, Linh said.

It has also submitted 20 national standards covering the selection and evaluation of sites, design and construction of nuclear power plants.

From January through September 2026, the agency assessed and issued, or submitted for issuance, 624 licences and 47 registration certificates, while inspections and audits were carried out at 46 facilities. Nine organisations and individuals were fined a total of VNĐ347 million (US$13,100), it said.

The agency has also expanded cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and partners including Russia, the Republic of Korea and the US to strengthen its regulatory framework, train personnel and improve technical capacity.

The department plans to further strengthen the legal framework for atomic energy, improve assessment, inspection, supervision and technical-support capacity, prepare human resources for nuclear power projects and develop a digital platform for radiation, nuclear and atomic-energy safety.

Building global nuclear expertise

Deputy Minister Lê Xuân Định said the agency was entering a phase in which it needed to have sufficient capacity to perform its role as Việt Nam's national nuclear regulatory body.

It should urgently complete the legal framework, standards and regulations and identify which parts of nuclear power projects Việt Nam could undertake independently and where it would need support from international consultants and technical organisations, Định said.

Việt Nam should also develop an ecosystem of technical support organisations by drawing on expertise from the agency, the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute, research institutes, universities and other qualified scientific organisations, he said.

On staffing, he emphasised the importance of identifying gaps in expertise and guide training and recruitment.

He also encouraged Vietnamese officials to gain experience through international assignments, including positions at the IAEA, before returning to contribute to the country's nuclear programme. Mechanisms should be developed to retain and make use of their expertise after they return, he said. —VNS