Vietnam and Russia Formalize Agreement for Nuclear Power Plant Construction

On March 23, 2026, Vietnam and Russia signed an intergovernmental agreement to construct Vietnam's first nuclear power plant during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Moscow. The agreement was signed by Rosatom's Director General Alexey Likhachev and Vietnamese Minister Tran Van Son. The project aims to enhance cooperation in high technologies and research, with the Leningrad NPP-2 serving as a reference model. The Vietnamese government had previously halted the project in 2016 due to economic conditions but has since revived its nuclear ambitions, citing energy security and net zero targets. The National Assembly approved the restart of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project in November 2024, which includes two plants with a total of four reactors. The target is to complete construction by the end of 2030. Existing nuclear technology links between the two countries include a Russian-designed research reactor in Vietnam.

Key Points: • Vietnam and Russia signed an agreement for a nuclear power plant on March 23, 2026. • The project aims to enhance cooperation in high technologies and energy security. • Construction of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power project is targeted for completion by 2030.