On March 23, 2026, during an official visit by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to Moscow, Russia and Vietnam signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the construction of Vietnam's first nuclear power plant — "Ninh Thuan-1."
The project provides for the construction of a plant with a capacity of up to 2.4 GW with Russian water-water power reactors (VVER). The document defines the framework for the interaction of the parties: the participation of Russian organizations in design and construction, technology transfer, training of specialists, and the exchange of experience in the field of nuclear energy.
The idea of building "Ninh Thuan-1" arose more than 15 years ago. The first agreements between Russia and Vietnam were signed back in 2010. However, due to high costs, economic risks, and safety concerns, the project was suspended in 2016. With today's signing of the agreement, the project is officially resumed and moves to practical implementation.
The plant will be located in Ninh Thuan province in southern Vietnam, approximately 300 km from Ho Chi Minh City. The site was chosen taking into account seismic safety and convenient access to seawater for cooling the reactors.
For Vietnam, the construction of a nuclear power plant is of strategic importance: it will ensure a stable generation of electricity, reduce dependence on coal and fuel imports, support the development of industry and technology, and create new jobs.
The signing of the agreement opens a new stage in the development of nuclear energy: after a break of more than ten years, Vietnam is again returning to the implementation of a large-scale nuclear project.