In an interview granted to a Vietnam News Agency correspondent on the sidelines of the International Conference on Access to Civil Nuclear Energy held here, Phong said that the application and development of atomic energy for peaceful purposes is one of the country’s socio-economic development objectives in the next decades.

The conference was held from this March 8 to March 9.

"Nuclear power plants will contribute considerably to the country’s annual electricity output, helping meet demands for production and daily activities as well as ensure the sustainable development of the national economy during the process of industrialisation and modernisation," he said.

Developing nuclear energy will create a favourable environment for the development of many other industries, including those requiring high scientific and technical standards, he added.

According to Minister Phong, in January 2006, the Prime Minister approved the Strategy on Atomic Energy Application for Peaceful Purposes by 2020.

The National Assembly also passed the Atomic Energy Law in June 2007 and approved a policy to build nuclear power plants in the country in November 2009.

The Vietnamese government is focusing on building a full and consistent system of legal documents that meets international standards for the nuclear energy sector, including specific plans for each agency and each area as well as human resource training schemes, he said.

The government is also speeding up education work to raise the awareness of people and the whole society of the importance of nuclear power plants as well as possible risks.

Vietnam’s first nuclear power plant is expected to be put into operation in 2020.