Russia ready to help build NPPs in Vietnam - Deputy PM Chernyshenko

HANOI. April 7 (Interfax) - Russia stands ready to help Vietnam build nuclear power plants of both high and low capacity if the Vietnamese authorities submit such a request, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko said in Hanoi on Friday.

"Russia is ready to participate and help Vietnam if a decision is made on the construction of nuclear power plants of both high and low capacity," Chernyshenko said at a meeting with senior officials of Vietnam's nuclear industry, which took place at the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute on the sidelines of the 24th meeting of the two countries' intergovernmental commission.

Chernyshenko also emphasized the key role that atomic energy could play in ensuring Vietnam's energy sovereignty.

"Such a decision will allow Vietnam to get very close to climate neutrality," he said.

If a positive decision is made regarding the construction of a nuclear power plant in Vietnam, Russia will build a Russian university on the premises of Hanoi's university in order to train specialists there, Chernyshenko said.

"Preparations are now in progress for a large-scale joint project to build a Center for Nuclear Science and Technology in the Dong Nai province," Chernyshenko said. His remarks were circulated by the press service of the Russian Education and Science Ministry.

Chernyshenko proposed signing the contract on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June.

Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute President Tran Chi Thanh, for his part, supported the initiative and promised to make every effort to put all joint plans into practice, the ministry said.