Some 240 experts from 40 foreign and local organisations participated in the 8th national conference on nuclear technology and science in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province, from August 20-23.

Among 28 foreign delegates from Japan, South Korea, France, Bulgaria, the US, Angola and Thailand were experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Asia-Pacific Regional Co-operative Agreement (IAEA) on Nuclear Science (RCA).

Every two years, Vietnam organises the national conference on nuclear technology and science to introduce its research results in the fields of nuclear technology and science and define goals and research directions for the upcoming period.

Besides the conference, there was an open seminar on nuclear power, which saw the participation of Vietnamese and foreign experts on nuclear power and some overseas Vietnamese who have worked for many years in the nuclear power industry.

The seminar considered the implementation of nuclear power projects in Vietnam and foreign assistance and transfers of experience to Vietnam.

Vuong Huu Tan, director of the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute, said that in the last two years, Vietnam has made steps forwards in research, development and application of nuclear power. The National Assembly ratified the Law on Energy Power in June 2008. The government approved the nuclear power project in Ninh Thuan province this July and will be considered by the National Assembly this October.

During the conference, experts spent a lot of time discussing and suggesting goals and directions for Vietnam’s nuclear power industry from now to 2020. They also exchanged information and discussed future cooperation between local and foreign institutions.

The Electricity of Vietnam Group chose Phuoc Dinh commune in Ninh Phuoc district and Vinh Hai commune in Ninh Hai district, in the southeastern province of Ninh Thuan to accommodate Vietnam’s first nuclear power plant.

These areas are considered ideal for such a plant as they meet all safety requirements such as having no volcanoes, having sufficient water to cool the plant, little chance of earthquakes, no flooding, being far from major airports and roads, and being sparsely populated and convenient for transporting extremely long and heavy equipment to the plant.