OREANDA-NEWS. November 19, 2015. ROSATOM and Vietnam Atomic Energy Agency (VAEA) held an international roundtable “Public acceptance of nuclear technologies: sharing Asian experience” in Ninh Thuan Province, Vietnam – the place where the first NPP in Southeast Asia is going to be built.

The panel session brought together not only experts from Vietnam and Russia, but also from nuclear specialists from such Asian countries as India, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Indonesia.

Addressing the roundtable, Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan, Director General of Vietnam Atomic Energy Agency (VAEA) highlighted the necessity of gaining public acceptance in nuclear power and the creation of a new nuclear industry in Vietnam.

“In order to well prepare for starting construction of the nuclear power plants, many tasks still need to be focused on. Implementing public information and communication in order to enhance public’s perception and support in nuclear power development in Vietnam is one of those”, Dr. Hoang mentioned.

Head of ROSATOM in Southeast Asia, Egor Simonov, also emphasized the importance of the topic in the development and implementation of nuclear projects in Vietnam and in the rest of Asia.

He stressed that over the past years, ROSATOM has positively supported Vietnam in information and communication to raising public awareness in nuclear energy. Particularly, since December 2012, the Information Centre for Nuclear Energy has been functioning in Hanoi. According to him, more than 45,000 people have visited it since it was opened.

Mr. Srisht Pall Singh, a renowned expert from the Indian Nuclear Society, Former Head of Nuclear Safety Division, and Indian Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), talked about public acceptance in India. Mr. Singh said that India is a good example for ASEAN countries: the country successfully operates 21 power reactors, 6 power units are under construction, and at least 12 units are planned to be constructed and commissioned in the coming 20 years. According to him, all these plans would be impossible without such an impressive India’s progress in achieving a certain level of public acceptability of nuclear technologies.

Wherein Vietnam became a model for other countries in South-East Asia in terms of the success of the national nuclear energy program. “It is noteworthy that such a round table discussion is being held in this region of Vietnam, in Ninh Thuan, the place where the first nuclear power plant in ASEAN will be constructed. The study of the Vietnamese experience will certainly help us to conduct a more effective communication campaign in Malaysia”, Hasfazilah Bt Hassan, Head of Corporate Communication Unit, Nuklear Malaysia said.

“Indonesia managed to reach quite a high level of public acceptance of nuclear energy – more than 70%. This is a good basis for the country to “go nuclear”, and such statement should be declared by our government as soon as possible, in view of the energy crisis we face”, mentioned Dr. Arnold Soetrisnanto, Chairman of Indonesian Nuclear Society (HIMNI).