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Lao ASIE eyes development in Vientiane province
The Lao ASIE Consultants Group is to conduct a feasibility study including an investment and design survey for a possible investment concession on the Nam Khouang river basin in Meun district, Vientiane province.
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| Mr Oudong Phongphaypadith (left) shakes hands with Mr Xayphone Chonephetsarath after signing the agreement in Vientiane province. |
The Nam Khouang basin is about 12km from Meun district town. The feasibility project will assess the viability of constructing a small scale hydropower plant with the capacity to produce 3.4-4 megawatt (MW), an irrigation system to provide water for 3,000 hectares of farmland, a fresh water supply for 10,000 local people totaling 5,000 cubic metres a day, and the potential for tourism development.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed yesterday in the province between the provincial Planning and Investment Department Acting Director, Mr Oudong Phongphaypadith, and Lao ASIE Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Xayphone Chonephetsarath.
The signing was witnessed by representatives from the province and the company.
The studies will run for three months and will include an engineering study, environmental and social impact assessments as well as analysis of the project's potential profitability.
The company has received some basic feasibility study reports from the provincial authorities, which will provide an important basis for an extended study, Mr Xayphone said.
The Lao ASIE Consultants Group was established in 2006 to provide consulting services for developing agriculture and livestock, infrastructure, local economies and the environment.
The current project is a priority for the province, so the company is happy to undertake the study which will further the development of the province, Mr Xayphone said.
If the project is assessed as being viable, the company will invest in a survey and design for the project. But if studies indicate further work is not feasible, the company will hand the project back to the provincial authorities.
Mr Xayphone called for close cooperation from the provincial authorities in every sector to ensure the study is completed within the target time.
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