VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Science and Technology and the authorities of Lam Dong Province have not been able to reach a consensus on the construction of a nuclear science and technology center in Da Lat City. The Prime Minister will make a decision on this project.

A sketch of the Da Lat Center for Nuclear Science and Technology.

The Institute of Da Lat Nuclear Research, with a reactor located in the center of the resort city of Da Lat, is expected to cease operations within the next 10 years. It will be replaced by the Da Lat Nuclear Science and Technology Center, with a new reactor. The new facility will be built 12km from the current institute.

When the new center is operational, the current nuclear reactor will be closed, after more than 50 years of operation. The entire workforce of the Da Lat Institute of Nuclear Research will be transferred to the new center.

On December 11, 2012, Vietnam and Russia signed an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of the new center. This project has a total investment of $500 million, funded by Russia.

In this center, a new nuclear reactor with a capacity of about 15MWt, 30 times more powerful than the current reactor in Da Lat, will be built, with modern technology.

Under the plan, the project will be kicked off this year, but until now the Ministry of Science and Technology and Lam Dong province have yet to find a common voice. The Ministry chose a plot of land of more than 100 hectares in Ward 12, 12km from Da Lat’s center. The Government approved the Ministry’s selection. But Lam Dong authorities don’t agree with the Ministry, arguing that the selected site is a populated area and it is too close to Da Lat’s center, and that the building of a reactor here may threaten local people and tourists.

Lam Dong authorities have proposed building the center at a site 30-40km from Da Lat’s center. They have suggested Da Nhim Commune, on Da Lat - Nha Trang Road, as the most suitable site.

Photo: The sites selected by the Ministry and Lam Dong province.

After conducting a survey in Da Nhim, the Ministry said that infrastructure in this area is insufficient and access is difficult. If the center is too far from the city, it will be hard to attract talent.

Mr. Tran Chi Thanh, Director of the Institute of Atomic Energy of Vietnam, says that the construction of a nuclear center in Da Lat will be good for Lam Dong because the center will attract highly qualified experts at home and abroad, to work and train manpower for the city.

Addressing the safety concerns of the Lam Dong authorities, Thanh said that the Da Lat Nuclear Research center has been located in the city center for over 50 years and it has not affected local people's lives or the tourism industry.

Most recently, on April 11, at the 8th plenary meeting of the National Assembly’s Science-Technology and Environment Committee, the selection of the site for the new nuclear center was discussed. However, neither side changed its opinion.

Minister of Science-Technology and Environment Nguyen Quan says that implementation of the new nuclear reactor is proceeding too slowly and they are waiting for the Prime Minister’s decision to move ahead with the project.

Na Son