NUCLEAR EDUCATION IN RUSSIA
2026-03-23 17:13

Russia and Vietnam Signed Intergovernmental Agreement on Construction of Ninh Thuan 1 NPP

On March 23, during the official visit of Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh to Moscow, an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the construction of the Ninh Thuan 1 Nuclear Power Plant in Vietnam was signed. The document was signed by Alexey Likhachev, Director General of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, and Tran Van Son, Minister and Head of the Office of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, and Pham Minh Chinh.

The intergovernmental agreement regulates the conditions and key areas of cooperation between the parties in implementing the project for the construction of the nuclear power plant, which envisages the construction of two Russian-designed power units with VVER‑1200 reactors, with a total installed capacity of 2,400 MW. The Leningrad NPP‑2 (power units No. 1 and No. 2) has been selected as the reference project. The document establishes the necessary legal framework for the construction of the plant and will shape the direction of Russian‑Vietnamese cooperation in the nuclear field for decades to come.
"For us, this is not merely an agreement to build two nuclear power units. We see it as the foundation for a long‑term industrial partnership that will strengthen Vietnam's energy independence and open up new opportunities for economic growth," said Alexey Likhachev.

Reference

The State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom possesses reference technologies for the construction of both large‑capacity nuclear power plants and small modular reactors. Russian VVER‑1200 reactors are successfully operated in Russia and abroad, confirming the highest standards of safety and efficiency. NPPs with VVER‑1200 reactors comply with the most stringent international requirements and form the core of Rosatom's export portfolio.

Russia and Vietnam have a long history of successful cooperation across various fields, and nuclear energy holds a special place in this partnership. In addition to the flagship Ninh Thuan 1 NPP project, the parties are continuing the implementation of the project to build a Center for Nuclear Science and Technology (CNST) in Vietnam, which includes the construction of a Russian‑designed research reactor. In April 2026, the development of the feasibility study materials for the Center for Nuclear Science and Technology will be completed, and the parties will begin discussing the contract for the construction of the Center.

Another area of longstanding cooperation is the successful operation of the Dalat research reactor, which uses Russian‑supplied fuel and provides Vietnam with medical isotopes. Currently, Vietnam is also expressing interest in participating in the international consortium based on the Multipurpose Fast Research Reactor (MBIR). Beyond traditional nuclear energy, cooperation is expanding into new promising areas: the development of logistics via the Northern Sea Route, container shipping by the FESCO transport group (part of Rosatom's management perimeter), additive technologies, and energy storage systems.

Russia is consistently developing its international trade and economic relations with foreign partners. Major international energy projects continue to be implemented. The State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom is actively involved in this work.