Vietnam needs to construct a new nuclear reactor with capacity of 5,000-10,000 kw, aiming to serve scientific training and research purposes, Vietnam News Agency on Monday quoted a local official as saying.

The new nuclear reactor should be built before the expiry of the existing one in 2015, and the construction of the country's first nuclear power plant scheduled to take place some time between 2015 and 2020, said Vice Director of the Vietnam Atomic Energy Commission (VAEC) Pham Duy Hien.

Now, the VAEC is completing the investment project on the construction of the new nuclear reactor.

Vietnam's sole nuclear reactor, which officially became operational in central highlands Lam Dong province in 1984, has a capacity of 500 kw. It is used for training and research purposes, especially medical ones.

Source: Xinhua