MHI Nuclear Engineering Training in Vietnam

On December 5, a ceremony was held at Electric Power University (EPU) in Hanoi, Vietnam, to mark the start of the fourth year Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) is providing instruction in nuclear engineering at this educational institution.

The ceremony was attended by numerous guests and dignitaries, including: Nguyen Cuong Lam, Vice President of Vietnam Electricity (EVN); representatives from Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Science and Technology, and Ministry of Education and Training; and Mr. Michio Daito, Counselor at the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam. Representing EPU was President Dam Xuan Hiep, while MHI was represented by Masato Iida, General Manager of the Nuclear Energy Systems Division, Energy & Environment Domain.

EPU is a university under the aegis of EVN designated by the Vietnam Ministry of Education and Training as an institution dedicated to promoting the development of human resources in the nuclear energy field. In August 2010 the university established a department specialized in nuclear power generation tasked with producing engineers to work at nuclear power plants to be introduced in Vietnam. Education entails hands-on learning how to operate and maintain a nuclear power station. From the outset, MHI has contributed to building up the department's basic educational framework, including cooperation in preparing course curriculums.

To date MHI has constructed 24 pressurized water reactor (PWR) type nuclear power plants in Japan, and the company has provided full support to the utilities in operating and maintaining these facilities. The courses MHI teaches at EPU enable Vietnamese students to master practical expertise directly from engineers with experience in these operations.

The nuclear engineering department at EPU is scheduled to produce its first graduating class in May 2015. As new nuclear engineers, its graduates are expected to play an active role in nuclear-related fields in Vietnam.

MHI is also endowing courses in nuclear engineering at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, where a similar ceremony was held in early November. The company intends to continue its involvement in nuclear engineering education projects of this type in the future.

Going forward MHI and EPU aim to keep contributing to the cultivation of human resources in Vietnam in the field of nuclear energy, as well as to the creation in Vietnam of a base for launching power generation by nuclear energy.