Ninh Thuan Electricity ‘can withstand earthquakes of 9 on the Richter scale’

Mr. Sergey A. Boyarkin, Deputy General Director of the Russian atomic energy corporation Rosatom, the direct consulting and construction unit, talked about the safety and economics of the Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power project in a meeting with investors.

Mr. Sergey A. Boyarkin, deputy general director of Russian atomic energy corporation Rosatom, affirmed that incidents like the one in Fukushima cannot happen with new generation power plants like the type that Russia is about to build in Vietnam.

– After the Fukushima plant incident in Japan, nuclear power became a concern for many people about safety.

– The Fukushima plant uses a 2nd generation reactor, using the active safety principle, that is, the reactor cooling system uses electrical energy from the diesel generator in case of emergency.

We will build the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant according to a new 3rd generation design, with a molten isolation mechanism system.

Ninh Thuan nuclear power will be safe if it uses Russian technology.

– What is the basis to believe that?

– With 3rd generation technology built by Russia, using equipment to suck radiation inside and not let it out, so when there is any incident, radioactive substances and radioactive waste are kept and concentrated.

If this technology had been applied to the Fukushima plant, the recent unfortunate widespread radiation incident in Japan would not have happened.

Not long ago, a company criticized Russia for applying too much safety technology, but our view is that it is expensive but 100% guaranteed safety is the most important thing.

Russia’s safety standards are the highest in the world.

– Ninh Thuan is located near a volcanic belt and has geological faults.

– The site survey process in Ninh Thuan is still underway.

There is no point on earth that is completely stable, completely free from the risk of earthquakes.

During the Soviet Union, there was a nuclear plant that experienced a level 10 earthquake and is still operating and providing electricity today.

– So how high will the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant be able to withstand earthquakes and tsunamis?

– According to initial surveys, an earthquake of up to 7.5 on the Richter scale may occur in Ninh Thuan, while the design of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant can withstand a level 9 earthquake. Vietnam should complete

We are surveying to find a location where the tsunami will not affect the reactor.

Current and past nuclear power projects are designed so that when the plant is flooded, the power generating clusters still operate normally.

The Fukushima plant has 6 operating units, including problems with the first 4 units.

An incident like Fukushima cannot happen at modern nuclear power plants.

– How does the tropical climate in Vietnam affect the reactors that Russia will design?

– Russia is also a country with experience in building nuclear power plants in different climate zones, including tropical climate areas.

When we start designing a factory, we take into account climate factors and use stainless materials.

– How much does it cost to build the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant?

– In Russia, 2,700 USD for 1kW of capacity in a unit.

If the price is 3,000 USD, the total value of the two units is no more than 6 billion USD.

– Can the project start construction in 2014 as originally scheduled?

– The steps of the Ninh Thuan nuclear project are moving at the right pace and will still start construction as planned.

According to plan, in 2018, Ninh Thuan power plant will complete construction work.

Currently, Vietnamese officials are studying nuclear power in Russia to later participate in plant operation.

Huong Thu