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Snapshot 5:Tue, Mar 24, 2026 2:38:00 PM GMT last edited by Edward

Russia, Vietnam Sign Deal for First Nuclear Plant

Russia, Vietnam Sign Deal for First Nuclear Plant

Above: Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin (centre) and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left) in Moscow on Mar. 23. Image credit: Alexander Miridonov / POOL / AFP via Getty Images

The Spin

TheThis nuclear agreement between Russia-Vietnam nuclearand dealVietnam is a landmarksignificant momentmilestone thatfor sets Vietnam, onsteering athe pathnation toward realgenuine energy independence. TwoBy VVER-1200bringing reactorsRussian atexpertise Ninhon Thuanboard, 1Vietnam willcan delivernow 2,400construct MWthe ofreliable and clean, reliablesource baseloadof power its exactly what a fast-growing economy demands.desperately Thisneeds, isn'tsecuring justboth aits constructionenergy contract;security it'sand aits decades-longfuture industrialprosperity partnershipin that builds Vietnam's nuclear ecosystem from the ground upprocess.

Signing a nuclear deal is the easy part — actually delivering ait plant is where Vietnam has a troubled track record. Bureaucratic paralysis, rampantwidespread corruption in the energy sector and chronicpersistent public investment delays have derailed major infrastructure projects before,in the past and nuclearare islikely farto moredo complexso again. Without serious governance reform, Ninh Thuan 1 risks becoming another costly, delayed mega-project that drains resources Vietnam can't ill afford to waste.

Metaculus Prediction

There is a 9% chance that small modular nuclear reactors will supply at least 1% of any nation's electricity by 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.


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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 6.18.0