Energy generation expected to grow
Energy generation expected to grow
Domestic energy generation was unofficially about 7,196.62 million kWh while about 543.54 million kWh was imported in the first six months of this fiscal year (2013-14).
“The 7,196.62 million kWh is at a cost of 1,032 billion kip (US$129 million),” according to a national social and economic development report from the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) two weeks ago.
“The import of 543.54 million kWh was at a cost of about 237.92 billion kip (US$29.74 million),” the report also noted.
The report stated that the supply included the export of about 5,590.06 million kWh at a cost of about 2,129.2 billion kip (US$266.15 million), while the rest (about 1,619.01 million kWh) was to be for local supply; with 949,713 families accessing the power grid.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines reported recently that local energy generation was expected to rise in the first six months, although the amount of power required by local and export markets was still larger.
Laos generates energy for both domestic and export markets, but must still import power for domestic consumption because some areas that are outside the national grid do not get sufficient electricity. However those areas are close to neighbouring countries, from which power can easily be imported.
The ministry's report noted that energy generation in the first quarter (first three months) was 3,495 million kWh, representing a 50.5 percent increase compared to the same period last fiscal year
Electricity generation increased sharply because some power plants' first quarter generation saw much greater output than the previous year.
The MPI reported that in the first six months, foreign and local investment in 713 projects was about US$3,060 million or about 24,458 billion kip.
The most high value investment was in the service sector in 686 projects and was at a cost of about US$2.60 billion followed by the energy sector with US$383 million and the mining sector with US$60 million on nine projects.
The outstanding projects that were approved by the government recently were the three hydropower projects of Nam Phay at a cost of about 1,744 billion kip (US$218 million), Nam Xan 3A was 776 billion kip (US$97 million) and Nam Xan 3B was 544 billion kip (US$68 million).
So far Laos has 24 operational power plants (starting from 1MW) with a total installed capacity of 3,245MW. Combined, these are generating more than 16,100GWh annually for local and export markets.
The 24 plants include 14 under the management of independent power producers that have an installed capacity of about 2,854MW and 10 plants under the management of Electricite du Laos which have an installed capacity of more than 390MW.
vientiane times
