Scientists think that there might exist a dangerous fracture in the area reserved for the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant, urging to conduct thorough survey on the issue to avoid possible risks.
Dr Professor Nguyen Dinh Xuyen, former Head of the Geophysics Institute, a member of the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant project appraisal council, said that in the project pre-feasibility study, he can read about the Suoi Mia fracture in Phuoc Dinh commune of Ninh Phuoc district of Ninh Thuan province. However, he believes that there is another fracture which is even more dangerous than the Suoi Mia fracture.
The other fracture runs in the direction of sub-longitude, crossing the Suoi Mia fracture (northwest-southeast direction)
At the cross-section of the two fractures, a waterfall with the height of four meters was generated. It is likely that the fracture runs to the place where Vietnam plans to set up the Ninh Thuan nuclear power plant.
Why does the fracture exist? Do you think that there are some more fractures in the same area?
This might be the continuation of the sub-longitude fractures active in the southern coast of the central region, from Quang Ngai province to Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan provinces. The fractures once generated the 6.1 magnitude earthquake and the volcano eruption in Hon Tro of the Phu Quy archipelago in 1923.
Besides the above said fracture, on the continental shelf of the Ninh Thuan coast, we still can see the operation of the East Sea’s western fracture.
A research work on appraising the danger of the tsunami on the Vietnam coasts of the Geophysics Institute found, that along the continental shelf and the edge of the continental shelf of the Ninh Thuan coast, there might exist two or three 1-3 grade fractures.
What should we do after discovering the fractures?
According to the standards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on nuclear safety for nuclear power plants’ sites, the places, where fractures with the third and higher grades are found, should be excluded from the list of the sites for nuclear power plants.
The draft circular stipulating the nuclear safety standards being compiled by the Ministry of Science and Technology, also says that the places belonging to the areas that bear the direct influences of activating fractures will not be the places for nuclear power plants. In principle, the locations in the zones where there are tectonic destruction will not be suitable for building nuclear power plants.
As we have been warned about a serious fracture in the location, I believe that what we should do now is to do a thorough field research, following all necessary procedures. It is necessary to define the characteristics, the levels of the fractures and the possible impacts on the operation of the nuclear power plant in the future.
If the fracture is more dangerous than the allowed level, Vietnam will have to think of relocating the nuclear power plant. If the danger is within the safety line, it is necessary to conduct necessary technical measures to ensure the safe operation of the nuclear power plant
Besides, the activation of the sub-longitude fractures close to the Ninh Thuan coast is believed to possibly create tectonic slide. Therefore, it is also necessary to make research to have reliable assessments about the possible impacts of the fractures on the area.
