More than 100 residents in Vĩnh Hải Commune attended a meeting with local authorities on Thursday to give feedback on the resettlement area’s potential sites. VNA/VNS Photo

KHÁNH HÒA — The People’s Committee of south-central province Khánh Hòa has proposed two new locations for a resettlement area for the Nuclear Power Plant No 2 project in Vĩnh Hải Commune, following guidance from the Ministry of Science and Technology that resettlement must be located beyond a 5km radius from the reactor to ensure safety.

The first site, in Thanh Hải Hamlet, covers 83.84ha and lies about 6.8km from the reactor. It would provide 1,124 residential plots spanning 24.76 hectares and is situated within the Ninh Chữ National Tourism Area near the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea), with convenient connections to Road 702, planned local routes, and the northern ring road leading to National Highways 1A, 27A and the North–South Expressway.

The second proposed site, in Nhơn Hải Hamlet, covers 76.63ha and is about 8km from the reactor. It would include 1,415 residential plots covering 21.09 hectares but offers less total area and commercial space and is adjacent to existing residential zones, which could strain local infrastructure.

On Thursday, the provincial People’s Committee held a meeting with more than 100 local residents to gather public feedback on the potential resettlement sites. Locals emphasised the importance of convenient transport, stable agricultural conditions, and adequate compensation and livelihood support policies. Some proposed an alternative site in Hòn Một area, Vĩnh Hải Commune, which they said could better support daily life and production.

Vice Chairman of the Khánh Hòa Province People’s Committee Trịnh Minh Hoàng said public consultation is essential to ensure consensus and protect the legitimate rights of affected residents. He added that the province would review all suggestions and instruct relevant agencies to assess additional potential locations to find the optimal solution.

Hoàng reiterated Party General Secretary Tô Lâm’s directive during his December 2024 visit to the locale, stressing that resettlement policies and conditions "must be the best, not merely better."

He said local authorities are introducing unprecedented mechanisms to develop the area with comprehensive infrastructure to ensure stable livelihoods while meeting government regulations and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety standards.

According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, as of October 17, compensation and resettlement work for the Nuclear Power Plant No 2 project had completed land inventory for 534 households over 404.5 hectares. Progress remains challenging due to the lack of an officially approved site, complex land-use histories, and some compensation rates yet to be finalised.

The Ninh Thuận nuclear power project was approved by the 12th National Assembly in 2009. In 2016, the 14th National Assembly passed a resolution to suspend implementation. Amid new development requirements, by the end of 2024, the Party Central Committee and National Assembly reviewed and agreed on policy to restart the Ninh Thuận nuclear power project with two plants, Nos 1 and 2, in the former Ninh Thuận Province, now part of Khánh Hòa Province. — VNS