General Secretary: Developing and applying nuclear energy must be a long-term strategy

The General Secretary emphasized the need to identify nuclear energy development as a long-term strategic goal of vital importance in socio-economic development and ensuring national defense and security.

On the afternoon of September 4, General Secretary To Lam and the Central Working Delegation visited and worked at the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute ( Ministry of Science and Technology ) on the results of its activities and development orientation of the Institute in the new period.

General Secretary To Lam speaks. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Also attending were comrades: Pham Minh Chinh, Politburo member, Prime Minister; Nguyen Duy Ngoc, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of the Central Inspection Commission; General Luong Tam Quang, Politburo member, Minister of Public Security; Le Minh Hoan, Party Central Committee member, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly ; Pham Gia Tuc, Party Central Committee member, Chief of the Party Central Committee Office; comrades of the Party Central Committee, leaders of central departments, ministries and branches; leaders of the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute through the periods, representatives of scientists.

Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute was established in 1979, formerly known as Dalat Nuclear Research Institute (established in 1976). Through the process of development and change, the Institute now has 12 affiliated units (3 management units and 9 research-development units, in Hanoi, Dalat, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang).

By 2025, the Institute will have 768 officers, civil servants and employees, including 1 Professor, 15 Associate Professors, 81 PhDs and over 350 people with postgraduate degrees, many of whom are internationally recognized experts.

The Institute manages research infrastructure, with two major national facilities: the Dalat nuclear reactor and the electron beam accelerator in Hanoi.

At the meeting, Dr. Tran Chi Thanh, Director of the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute, said that since the early years of independence, our Party and State had a long-term vision and soon affirmed the strategic role of nuclear energy in national development.

Today, in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution with artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and new technologies, nuclear energy in the world is making a strong comeback as a clean, stable and safe energy solution.

Many countries, including Vietnam, have considered developing nuclear power, considering it a strategic technology to ensure energy security, respond to climate change and promote sustainable development.

At the same time, the Party and State pay special attention to promoting the application of atomic energy for peaceful purposes in economic fields. In addition to applications in electricity production, nuclear technology also has effective applications in many economic and social fields and sectors.

For example, in medicine: to diagnose and treat cancer; in agriculture: to cause mutations to create plant varieties with high yield, good quality, resistance to drought, pests, salinity, to develop smart agriculture, to control large-scale pests (SIT); in industry: to test and evaluate (non-destructively) the quality of equipment, pipelines, bridges, construction structures, microchips, etc.

General Secretary To Lam and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh listen to an introduction to applications of nuclear energy for peace. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

In water resources assessment and environmental management, nuclear techniques are a reliable method to determine groundwater reserves, recharge sources, pollution, salinity, subsidence due to over-exploitation of groundwater, etc.

The Institute continues to expand the application of nuclear technology in many fields: Medicine; agriculture; industry; environment; defense-security...

Regarding development orientation, Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute positions its role and mission as becoming the leading research and development center in Vietnam and ASEAN on nuclear technology and atomic energy, aiming for international status.

The Institute's new mission, after 50 years of formation and development, focuses on mastering technology and contributing to the country's sustainable development; promoting comprehensive digital transformation in the Institute's management.

After listening to the opinions exchanged at the working session and giving instructions, General Secretary To Lam emphasized that over nearly half a century, the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute has continuously grown, developed, and become a pioneer in research and application of atomic energy for peaceful purposes.

For Vietnam, nuclear power is not just an option but an objective and urgent requirement to ensure national energy security, fulfill the commitment to carbon neutrality and create a breakthrough momentum for the country's industrialization and modernization.

The General Secretary commended, acknowledged and highly appreciated the silent but extremely great contributions of generations of cadres, scientists and workers of the Institute over the past nearly 50 years. In addition, the General Secretary also pointed out some of the current situations and major challenges that the Vietnamese Atomic Energy sector is facing.

From there, the General Secretary proposed to unify the strategic direction throughout, absolutely not to trade safety for progress or scale, firmly build a safety culture as the foundation; at the same time develop endogenous capacity to master each key component and international cooperation, according to the principles of co-design, co-manufacture, co-operation, co-management. Developing the application of atomic energy must be a long-term strategy, requiring foresight, perseverance and a comprehensive approach, from institutions, infrastructure, technology to people.

The General Secretary emphasized the orientations that need to be focused on, which are to identify nuclear energy development as a long-term strategic goal, of vital importance in socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security.

General Secretary To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates. (Photo: Thong Nhat/VNA)

Developing nuclear energy also contributes to raising the status and stature of the nation. Building and developing nuclear power must ensure absolute safety for people, the environment and society, strictly following the guidelines of international atomic energy agencies.

The General Secretary requested to continue perfecting mechanisms and policies to create favorable conditions for the development of the atomic energy sector in line with the new situation; to build a national program on nuclear technology and safety to ensure nuclear safety and security at international standards; to build core scientific and technological capacity to deploy nuclear power and proactive and sustainable nuclear power applications, and to improve the capacity and coordination ability on nuclear radiation safety of the Radiation Safety Department.

The Institute needs to continue to play a core role in scientific and technological research, technical support, troubleshooting, providing scientific data, applied research, and training high-quality human resources.

The General Secretary suggested increasing investment in developing national research and testing infrastructure, focusing on rapid implementation, ensuring safety and efficiency of key national projects and works as well as strategies for enhancing Vietnam's science and technology and nuclear technology potential; strengthening research on topics and projects, moving towards mastering technology to serve the development of rare earth industry, nuclear atomic industry and industry for digital transformation.

The General Secretary pointed out that digital transformation and safe data management, interconnection of environmental radiation monitoring networks, digitization of data and equipment sources, perfecting a transparent and controlled data disclosure model to increase social trust, applying technology to form maps of radioactive sources, and AI tools to help assess risks by region.

The General Secretary noted that it is necessary to develop high-quality human resources, technical standards, ensure inheritance and development for the team of leading experts, attract domestic and foreign experts; study specific mechanisms and policies on salaries and allowances for those directly working in atomic energy and nuclear radiation safety; focus on research, approach, gradually master and localize new technologies and strategic technologies; strengthen international cooperation...

With its intellectual tradition, sense of responsibility and desire for innovation, the General Secretary believes that the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute will, together with ministries, branches, localities and the scientific community, successfully carry out its tasks; requesting agencies to promptly specify each task, regularly inspect, urge and promptly remove difficulties, ensuring that every step is certain, transparent, effective and absolutely safe for the benefit of the people and for the future of sustainable development of the country./.

According to Nguyen Hong Diep (Vietnam News Agency/Vietnam+)

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/tong-bi-thu-phat-trien-ung-dung-nang-luong-nguyen-tu-phai-la-chien-luoc-lau-dai-post565664.html