Exclusion Zone: A Prerequisite in Safe Nuclear Power Development

In the development of nuclear power, the planning of the exclusion zone is an indispensable part in ensuring the safety of the nuclear power plant and the surrounding area. The exclusion zone of the nuclear power plant is to limit the impact of nuclear accidents on residential areas and the environment.

Minimize the risk of radiation exposure

Dr. Tran Chi Thanh, Director of the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute ( Ministry of Science and Technology ), said: Choosing a location to build Vietnam's first nuclear power plant was a really elaborate, costly process that lasted 20 years, from 1996 to 2016.

In addition to the support and investment of the Russian Federation and Japan, Vietnam has spent a "significant" amount of money over 20 years to search, classify, evaluate, and select locations that meet the requirements for building a nuclear power plant, to come to the decision to choose Phuoc Dinh ( Ninh Thuan 1) and Vinh Hai (Ninh Thuan 2) in Ninh Thuan province to build a nuclear power plant.

According to Dr. Tran Chi Thanh: Vietnam decided on the location to build the Ninh Thuan 1 and Ninh Thuan 2 nuclear power plants because these locations have met all the prerequisites in the construction process, especially paying attention to terrain conditions, isolated areas... to ensure safety in the process of developing nuclear power in Vietnam.

Nuclear power plant construction sites are all located close to the sea, ensuring favorable conditions for building cooling water systems, convenient traffic infrastructure for transporting fuel, oversized and overweight equipment, and connecting to the national power grid.

The exclusion zone is an important part of ensuring the safety of the nuclear power plant and the surrounding area; at the same time, minimizing the risk of radiation exposure to the public and the environment, and preventing the spread of radioactive substances in the event of an accident.

According to experts in the nuclear field, depending on the design and scale of the nuclear power plant, the area of the isolation zone can vary, but usually has a radius from the fence to the plant location from a few hundred meters to 1km or more than 1km. The isolation zone is specifically planned, can include land area and sea area (if the plant is located near the sea).

In particular, nuclear power plants need to be near large water sources to cool reactors, so water intake areas also need to be carefully considered to ensure safety and avoid pollution.

Dr. Ta Van Thuong, expert from the Institute of Energy ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ), emphasized: In developing nuclear power, safety issues need to be put first, aiming for a risk goal of zero.

Around the world, countries often focus on minimizing risks to the lowest possible level through technical, management and legal measures, in which safety issues are given top priority.

Nuclear safety must be the number one priority in every stage of a nuclear power project - from design, construction to operation and waste treatment; in particular, from the planning, selection and decision of project location, the issue of isolation zones is also an indispensable part in ensuring the safety of nuclear power plants, in order to limit the impact of nuclear accidents on residential areas, the environment, as well as minimize the risk of radiation exposure.

Isolation zone - safe distance from factory to residential area

On April 23, 2025, the People's Committee of Ninh Thuan province sent a document to the Ministry of Science and Technology requesting coordination in consultation and determining the safe distance between the nuclear power plant construction area and residential areas as well as civil works in the affected area, because in Document No. 902 dated April 17, 2025 of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the isolation area was determined - "Residential prohibited area is the area with an outer boundary at least 1km from the factory fence".

Previously, according to Decision No. 6070/QD-BCT dated June 17, 2015 of the Minister of Industry and Trade approving the adjustment of the Construction Site Planning of Ninh Thuan 1 and Ninh Thuan 2 Nuclear Power Plants, the area of the isolation zone from the factory fence to the residential area that must be cleared is 500m.

Ninh Thuan province has carried out site clearance and resettlement work to serve nuclear power plants according to the isolation distance specified in Decision No. 6070/QD-BCT.

According to the report sent by the Ninh Thuan Provincial People's Committee to the Prime Minister on the implementation of the Ninh Thuan 1 and Ninh Thuan 2 Nuclear Power Plant projects, Ninh Thuan has recently proactively reviewed land and implemented site clearance and resettlement. However, the implementation process encountered problems regarding the boundaries of the quarantined areas.

The People's Committee of Ninh Thuan province proposed that the Prime Minister direct the unification of the quarantine zone boundary (calculated from the nuclear power plant fence) so that the province has a basis to implement the project.

To ensure the construction progress of the nuclear power plant project, while waiting for consensus, the People's Committee of Ninh Thuan province continues to carry out site clearance and resettlement work according to the guidance of the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Official Dispatch No. 3465/BCT-DL dated May 15, 2025.

This guidance is consistent with Decision No. 6070/QD-BCT and Decision No. 794/QD-TTg dated June 8, 2015 of the Prime Minister on migration and resettlement projects.

According to the Resettlement Steering Committee, Nuclear Power Plant No. 1 (Phuoc Dinh Commune, Thuan Nam District) will affect 617 households with 2,910 people; Nuclear Power Plant No. 2 (Vinh Hai Commune, Ninh Hai District) will affect 844 households with 2,319 people.

Population characteristics in areas with nuclear power plants are specified in Clause 1, Article 7 of Circular 28/2011/TT-BKHCN issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology, regulating nuclear safety requirements for nuclear power plant locations.

During the research and evaluation process, the Resettlement Steering Committee considered the relationship with specific characteristics related to the level of impact of radioactive emissions from nuclear power plants that are harmful to humans./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/vung-cach-ly-yeu-cau-tien-quyet-trong-phat-trien-dien-nhat-nhan-an-toan-post1044928.vnp