Vietnam is going nuclear

Caught between increasing demand for energy and the rising cost of oil and gas, Vietnam has decided to meet its long term energy needs by resorting to nuclear power. Currently, hydropower accounts for 50% of Vietnam's electricity supply while oil and gas, and coal accounts for 25% and 20% respectively. Studies have shown that after 2020 there would be a electricity shortfall of 30 to 70 billion kilowatt-hours every year.

To solve the problem, Vietnam would have to depend on electricity supplies from neighbouring countries (such as China and Laos), import more oil and gas to produce electricity, or import millions of tonnes of coal every year. But the Vietnamese argued that none of these options would be feasible due to high cost, poor technical infrastructure, or environmental problems.

Thus, Hanoi decided last month to go ahead with a project to construct nuclear power plants, the first in the Southeast Asian region. The plant, estimated to cost around $3.4 billion, is expected to go into service in 2017 with an output between 1,400 and 4,000 megawatts.

Despite its controversial role in Iran's nuclear programme and Washington's opposition to exporting nuclear technology to other countries, Moscow has offered to implement the entire project on a turnkey basis, as well as to organise training for Vietnamese personnel. The offer, which was viewed as part of Russia's policy of strengthening its position in Southeast Asia, would be carried out by Atomstroiexport, Russia's state-run nuclear-technology export agency and the world's only nuclear company building power units for nuclear plants in China, India and Iran.

- Maybe Singapore should go nuclear too. After all, Malaysia, by its own admission will run out of natural gas in 33 years, and Indonesia has already used up more than half its natural gas reserves. And these countries, with Peak Gas looming, are the very same ones supplying the natural gas from which 80% of Singapore's electricity is generated? Hmm.

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