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Dam construction to boost power flows
Electricite du Laos, one of the largest state owned enterprises in the country, is set to build three more hydroelectric plants to boost power capacity in Laos.
According to a statement released by the company recently, a US$13 million hydropower plant is under construction on the Namxong River in Vientiane province. Construction is around 19 percent complete, with the plant expected to open in the next few years. The 6 MW power plant will supply electricity power to Hinheup district, Vientiane province. The project is being funded through the Export-Import Bank of India, with the money loaned by the Indian government.
The EDL also received a loan of around US$199 million from the Chinese government through Export to build an 88MW power-plant in Houaylamphanyai, Xekong province, which will boost power supply to the southern provinces of Laos, and help stimulate economic development. The Houaylamphanyai plant is now around 13 percent completed, and is expected to begin commercial operation in 2015. It will generate 480GWh of power a year.
There is another hydroelectric plant under construction on the Nam Khan River in Luang Prabang province. The US$308 million facility is currently only 5 percent completed, but it is expected to commence operations in 2015. The 558GWh power plant will provide a significant boost to the generation capacity in Luang Prabang province, where power consumption has risen substantially in recent years, due to the growing number of hotels, the cement industry and other production enterprises.
EDL also holds shares in US$200 million Nam Ngum 5 power plant, close to Vientiane. The project will supply electricity for the domestic market. Construction is currently around 60 percent complete, with the plant expected to begin commercial operations sometime in 2012 .
It also hold shares in the US$720 million Theun Hiboun power plant expansion project in Khammuan province. The 500MW plant will generate electricity power about 3,000GWh a year, with construction currently 67 percent complete.
In addition, EDL is a partner in the US$312 million Xekaman 3 power plant in Xekong province, which is nearly 90 percent complete, and will commence operations in the middle of next year. The 250MW plant will supply 977GWh to both the Lao and Vietnamese electricity markets ev ery year. Construction is expected to begin soon on a sister facility, Xekaman 1. A power purchase agreement was signed recently for the 322MW facility, which is expected to be complete in 2014.
EDL is the largest shareholder in EDL Gen Public Company, which owns 7 hydropower plants including Nam Ngum 1, Nam Leuk, Nam Mang, Namxong in Vientiane province, Xeset1, Xeset 2 in Saravan province and Xelabam in Champassak. The total installed electricity power of EDL Generation is 387MW.
vientiane times
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