In 2009, the National Assembly of Vietnam approved its first full nuclear energy program through resolution 41/2009/QH12.
The plan focused on two nuclear power plants in Ninh Thuan Province, each equipped with two reactors, for a complete of 4 units. Russia and Japan were identified as strategic partners, and for years the project was treated as a cornerstone of Vietnam’s long-term energy strategy.
Then in 2016, Vietnam made one in all the rarest decisions in nuclear policy, halting all the program before construction even began. No reactor was built, no concrete was poured. However, after seven years of planning, economic and institutional realities have modified.
Why Vietnam left in 2016
The decision to cancel was based on three fundamental concerns.
First, costs have skyrocketed. The estimated cost of electricity from the Ninh Thuan plant has doubled, from about 4 to eight US cents per kWh, while the full cost of the project has risen to about $18 billion.
Second, Vietnam’s public debt was approaching 65% of GDP, putting severe pressure on state funds and making large-scale nuclear borrowing politically difficult.
Third, Vietnam lacked institutional readiness to make use of nuclear energy. The country didn’t yet have enough trained engineers, safety inspectors, or a regulatory system compliant with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards.
The National Assembly then stated that this system was too expensive and premature.
The project remained frozen for eight years.
Eight years later, the identical sites are back
In November 2024, the National Assembly of Vietnam adopted resolution 174/2024/QH15, formally resuming nuclear energy development at the exact same facilities in Ninh Thuan that were suspended in 2016.
By January 2025, the Prime Minister has established a special steering committee for construction. A month later, two state-owned corporations became investors: Vietnam Electricity (EVN) for the Ninh Thuan 1 power plant and PetroVietnam (PVN) for the Ninh Thuan 2 power plant.
In April 2025, the revised eighth Energy Development Plan included nuclear energy for the primary time.
By June 2025, a brand new law, the Atomic Law, was adopted almost unanimously, replacing the 2008 regulations and formally designating nuclear energy as a national strategic priority, effective from January 2026.
The problems that ended the primary program have now grow to be the premise for the second.
The network modified faster than the plan
Vietnam’s energy demand today is significantly different from 2016.
Electricity consumption is growing at a rate of around 10% per 12 months, and government forecasts now estimate that demand could reach 1,200 TWh by 2045, significantly higher than previous forecasts.
According to PwC, Vietnam will need 150 GW of installed generation capability by 2030 and 500 GW by 2050, up from about 80 GW today. Solar and wind capability have grown rapidly, but each are intermittent and weather-dependent.
Coal still provides about 45% of Vietnam’s electricity, making it the country’s fundamental baseload source. At the identical time, Vietnam has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. This presents policymakers with a difficult equation, rising energy demand, carbon reduction targets and a grid that continues to require stable baseload generation.
The revised Energy Development Plan VIII includes nuclear energy as a part of this solution, assuming a capability of 4,000 to six,400 MW by 2035 and one other 8,000 MW by 2050.
Three countries, two plants, one date
Vietnam’s nuclear program is supported by many international partners. In March 2026, an intergovernmental agreement was signed with Russia for the development of Ninh Thuan 1 using two VVER-1200 reactors. The South Korean company KEPCO is involved in energy cooperation and worker training agreements with PVN.
During President Macron’s visit in May 2025, France committed to providing a preferential loan of EUR 500 million for initiatives related to renewable energy sources, hydrogen and nuclear energy. The Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission has also signed a technical information agreement with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited.
The total cost of this system is estimated at $22 billion. The goal commissioning of Ninh Thuan 1 is between 2031 and 2035, and Ninh Thuan 2 is anticipated to be operational between 2036 and 2040.
Land clearing in Ninh Thuan is currently underway, and Khanh Hoa Province has set a December 2026 deadline to arrange the land for construction.
