Vietnam needs 2,400 staff to operate nuclear power plants

Operating a nuclear power plant with a capacity of approximately 2,000 MW requiring a workforce of 600-1,200.

Vietnam needs some 2,400 staff to operate two projected nuclear power plants in south-central Ninh Thuan province, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Operating a nuclear power plant with two reactors and a combined capacity of approximately 2,000 MW requires a workforce of 600-1,200, with qualifications ranging from vocational intermediate to university levels across various disciplines, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and leading global entities like France’s EDF and Russia’s ATOMSTROYEXPORT. Key operational roles in such a plant demand those with training and experience of 5 to 10 years.

For Vietnam, operating a plant with a capacity of 2,000 MW would require around 1,200 people for safety monitoring and radiation protection, project management, leadership, reactor operation, maintenance, technical support, and related services.

When both the projected Ninh Thuan 1 and Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power plants are completed (each with a total capacity of 4,000 MW), the estimated employee requirement would double.

Chairing a conference held in Hanoi on January 2 regarding the development of science and technology human resources in service of Vietnam's nuclear power programs, Minister Nguyen Hong Dien emphasized that human resources development is a decisive factor for Vietnam to implement its ambitious nuclear energy plan.