On March 23, 2026, in Moscow, Russian Prime Minister Mishustin and visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh jung jointly attended the signing ceremony, and the two countries officially signed an intergovernmental agreement to cooperate in the construction of Vietnam's first nuclear power plant. The signing of this agreement marks the official resumption of nuclear power construction projects in Vietnam after a decade of suspension in 2016. A nuclear power plant with a total installed capacity of 2400 megawatts is about to be built in Southeast Asia, starting a new chapter in energy cooperation between the two countries, from the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation to the province of Nam Thuan in Vietnam.

2400 MW dual unit

According to the Russian government website, the intergovernmental agreement signed between Russia and Vietnam specifies the construction of two VVER-1200 nuclear power units with a total installed capacity of 2400 megawatts at the Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant in Vietnam. VVER-1200 is a third-generation nuclear power technology developed by the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation, which has higher safety and economy, and has been successfully applied in multiple nuclear power plants in Russia and abroad. Russian Prime Minister Mishustin stated that the construction of the nuclear power plant will provide strong impetus for cooperation in related fields between the two sides.

Restarting nuclear power plants in ten years

According to the original plan, the Ningshun nuclear power project included two nuclear power plants, which were constructed in cooperation with the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation and the Japan International Atomic Energy Development Corporation. However, Vietnam decided to suspend the construction of the nuclear power plant project in 2016. During Mishustin's visit to Vietnam in 2025, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on nuclear energy development cooperation. The Russian side plans to provide nuclear energy products to Vietnam and assist in restarting nuclear power plant projects. The signing of this intergovernmental agreement is a crucial step for Russia Vietnam nuclear energy cooperation to move from a memorandum of understanding to substantive construction. Keywords: infrastructure engineering, nuclear power plant infrastructure

Deepening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

The restart and construction of the Ningshun Nuclear Power Plant has significant strategic importance for Vietnam. As one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Asia, Vietnam's electricity demand has continued to rise in recent years. Developing nuclear power can help ensure energy security, optimize the power structure, and support sustainable economic development. For Russia, this project is an important achievement in its nuclear power technology exports, which will further consolidate Russia's leading position in the global nuclear energy market. The joint attendance of the two prime ministers at the signing ceremony demonstrates the high importance both sides attach to nuclear energy cooperation and injects new connotations into the comprehensive strategic partnership between Russia and Vietnam.Editor/Gao Xue