Process of building and operation of research nuclear reactors in Vietnam

Process of building and operation of research nuclear reactors in Vietnam (Internet image)

Regarding this matter, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

Types of nuclear facilities in Vietnam

Pursuant to Article 37 of the Law on Atomic energy 2008, regulations on nuclear facilities and their designs are as follows:

- Nuclear facilities include:

+ Research nuclear reactors;

+ Nuclear power plants;

+ Facilities that enrich uranium or produce nuclear fuel;

+ Facilities that store, dispose of or bury spent nuclear fuel.

- The building or changes in the size and operation scope of nuclear facilities must be designed in compliance with national technical regulations.

Note: The Science and Technology Ministry shall organize the evaluation of designs of nuclear facilities other than nuclear power plants.

Building and operation of research nuclear reactors in Vietnam

According to Article 41 of the Law on Atomic energy 2008, regulations on building and operation of research nuclear reactors are as follows:

- A dossier of application for a license to construct a research nuclear reactor comprises:

+ Application for a construction license;

+ Detailed design of the nuclear reactor and related works;

+ Report on environmental impact assessment;

+ Results of evaluation of the report on environmental impact assessment;

+ Safety analysis report;

+ Process of ensuring construction-related quality;

+ Plan on dismantlement of the nuclear reactor;

+ Safety assessment report;

+ Other related documents.

- Research nuclear reactors shall obtain test operation permits before they are fed with fuel.

- The test operation of a research nuclear reactor must be conducted at a low capacity level concurrently with the checking of technical norms and operational limit and gradual increase of its capacity to the designed level.

Upon applying for construction licenses, organizations having research nuclear reactors shall make nuclear reactor test operations reports and safety analysis reports, clearly explaining changes in technical parameters and operational limits compared with designs, and send them to the radiation and nuclear safety agency.

- The radiation and nuclear safety agency shall evaluate research nuclear reactor test operation reports and safety analysis reports, then propose the Science and Technology Ministry to grant official licenses for operation of research nuclear reactors.

- The Science and Technology Ministry shall grant licenses for construction and licenses for operation of research nuclear reactors.

Safety inspection of construction or change in operation scale and scope of research nuclear reactors in Vietnam

Article 42 of the Law on Atomic energy 2008 stipulates safety inspection of construction or change in operation scale and scope of research nuclear reactors as follows:

- The radiation and nuclear safety agency shall organize safety inspection of the construction or change in the operation scale and scope of a research nuclear reactor and may request the investor to suspend or temporarily stop the construction if it detects any detail of the reactor under construction which is different from design and shall bear responsibility before law for its decision.

- When conducting an inspection under Clause 1 of Article 42 of the Law on Atomic energy 2008, the radiation and nuclear safety agency may request the investor to supply documents and reports on the following:

+ Capability, professional qualifications and skills of organizations or individuals responsible for construction and construction supervision:

+ Time for the pre-handover test of each construction stage;

+ Observance of safety regulations in the course of construction of the research nuclear reactor.

- The investor, organizations or individuals responsible for construction shall create conditions for competent state management agencies to conduct a site inspection of compliance with the approved design.

Pre-handover test of safety of research nuclear reactors in Vietnam

Inspection of installation test operation and pre-handover test of safety of research nuclear reactors are specified in Article 43 of the Law on Atomic energy 2008 as follows:

- The radiation and nuclear safety agency shall organize safety inspection of the installation, test operation and pre-handover test of research nuclear reactors.

Note: The inspection of installation or test operation shall be conducted for each construction item for which preliminary pre-handover test conclusions has been made before the test operation of the next construction item or the whole system is permitted and a pre-handover test is conducted.

- The radiation and nuclear safety agency that organizes inspection under Clause 1 of Article 43 of the Law on Atomic energy 2008 may request construction investors to supply documents and report on the following

+ Process and schedule of installation, test operation and pre handover test:

+ Observance of safety regulations in the course of installation, test operation and pre-handover test.

- The overall pre-handover test of research nuclear reactors may only be conducted after all construction items are tested.

Doan Duc Tai

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