Vientiane Times, March 11, 2014
An additional eight hydropower plants will begin commercial operation next year while another five are scheduled to begin generation in 2016, according to an energy and mines sector report.
The Hongsa Mine-Mouth Power Project is under construction in Xayaboury province.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines Ministry’s Planning and Statistics Division reported yesterday that the eight plants that will start energy generation next year are Xekaman 1, Hongsa Mine-Mouth Power Project, Nam Ngiep 2, Nam Beng, Nam Kong 2, Nam Khan 2, Houay Lamphannyai and Nam Hinboun.
The division reported that construction of the Xekaman 1 plant in Attapeu province was 18.9 percent complete in January after the investor, VLP of Vietnam, signed a concession agreement (CA) with the government in 2011. It will have an installed capacity of 322 megawatts and generate 1,098GWh per year for local and Vietnamese markets.
Meanwhile the Hongsa Mine-Mouth Power Project in Xayaboury province was 77.6 percent complete as at the end of last year, after work started in 2010. It will have an installed capacity of 1,878MW and generate energy of 12,582GWh annually for Lao and Thai markets.
Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Public Company owns a 40 percent stake in the project, while Thailand’s Banpu Power Ltd owns 40 percent and Lao Holding State Enterprises holds the remaining 20 percent.
Nam Ngiep 2 in Xieng Khuang province was 47.6 percent complete in January after the investors, Electricite du Laos (EDL), which holds 20 percent and CWE of China 80 percent, signed a concession agreement with the Lao government in 2011. The plant will have an installed capacity of 180MW and will be able to generate energy of 273GWh per year for local consumption.
Meanwhile Nam Beng in Oudomxay province was in the preparatory stage earlier this year after the investor, China Electrical Equipment Corp, signed a CA with the Lao government in January last year. The project will have a capacity of 34MW and generate 137GWh annually for the local market.
Nam Kong 2 in Attapeu province was 55 percent complete earlier this year after the CA signing in January last year between the Lao government and the Vietnamese investor, Hoang Anh Gai Lai Mineral Joint Stock Company. The project will have a capacity of 66MW and generate about 263GWh of electricity per year for the local market.
The remaining three projects, namely Nam Khan 2, Houay Lamphannyai and Nam Hinboun are EDL investments.
As of the end of last year the 130 MW Nam Khan 2 in Luang Prabang province was 62 percent complete; the 88 MW Houay Lamphannyai in Xekong province was 75 percent complete, and the 60 MW Nam Hinboun in Khammuan province was 20 percent complete.
Another five power plants are also scheduled to commence generation in 2016, including Nam Sim in Huaphan province, Nam Lik 1 in Vientiane province, Nam Mang 1 Borikhamxay province, Nam Khan 3 in Xieng Khaug province and Xekaman 1 in Attapeu province.
So far Laos has 23 operational power plants with a total installed capacity of 3,211.5MW. These are generating 16,093.98GWh annually for local and export markets.
The 23 plants include 13 plants under the management of independent power producers and 10 plants under the management of EDL and EDL-Gen.
