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Nuclear power

plant for

Vietnam proposed

HANOI: Experts have recommended that Vietnam build its first nuclear power plant early next century, the semi-official Vietnam Investment Review (VIR) reported on Sunday.

The plant, likely to cost $2 billion to $3.3 billion, should be started in 2003 for completion between 2012 and 2015, according to a proposal to the government by a group of officials and academics aided by South Korean and Japanese organisations.

VIR quoted a project leader, Le Van Hong, as saying demand for power would increase by about eight percent a year by the turn of the century.

By 2015, nuclear power would be cheaper than electricity generated by coal, oil or gas, whose reserves were limited, he added.

The team recommended the 600 to 1,000 megawatt plant be built in south-central Vietnam.

Vietnam's power comes from hydro-electric or thermal plants. It has one nuclear reactor, in the southern hill station of Dalat, which is used only for research and production of radioactive material.-Reuter