Dr Nguyen Quan, Minister of Science and Technology, told news website VnExpress in a Friday report that the construction of nuclear power plants depends largely on the human factor, which Vietnam is having difficulties with.

As Vietnam’s education sector provides little nuclear training now, Quan said, the human resources available for the plants are not enough. Most people do not have the latest knowledge about nuclear technology, while many young people with high potential are still under training, he said.

He said the Vietnamese government has also failed to offer preferential policies to encourage young people to commit themselves to working for nuclear plants.

“The government recently approved a nuclear training budget of VND2 trillion (US$96 million) but the problem is no preferential policies are promised for those who will study and those who will work in the sector,” Quan said.

Vietnam will work with Russian and Japanese experts during the construction of its two first nuclear power plants in Ninh Thuan Province in the south central coast, which was first expected to start in 2014.

The minister said Vietnam needs good experts to supervise and assess the work of foreign experts.

He said another issue Vietnam needs to be concerned about its nuclear workforce is their discipline.

“We have to prevent the carelessness and the lack of discipline among people in charge.

“We have to train a highly capable staff who are aware of their responsibility to the country and humankind,” he said.

The minister said the intention to delay the construction is not only about Vietnam’s human resources problems, but also because Russian and Japanese partners are having financial difficulties at a time of persistent economic crisis.

Following the Fukushima incident, Vietnam has required the partners to raise the safety level for the Ninh Thuan plants, which would increase the cost and the preparation time, he said.

Quan said Vietnam has not planned for a third plant.

“Only after operating the two plants successfully, we might think about finding partners for another one.”

Vietnam is working with South Korea on a pilot project which will establish a system in Vietnam to track radiological materials using GPS technology in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Association. The project will contribute to securing and preventing the theft of radiological materials.

The country is also converting its research reactors using highly-enriched uranium fuel to low-enriched uranium, following a pledge made at the first international summit on nuclear energy in Washington in 2010.