Govt accelerates power grid expansion countrywide
Govt accelerates power grid expansion countrywide
The Ministry of Energy and Mines has reported that the government is spending a large amount of money to expand the national power grid, to supply local conmmunities and feed transmission lines linking neighbouring countries.
Laos is in the process of installing 69 transmission lines, wit h 16 being the responsibility of Electricite du Laos (EDL) and worth about 9.38 trillion kip (US$1,173 million), according to the report.
The money has been provided by the government and overseas sources.
Some 48 other projects, worth 1,973.61 billion kip, are part of the government's investment plan install more low and medium-voltage transmission lines in remote and developing areas.
Some of these projects are now over 30 percent complete and others are about 95 percent complete, the report noted.
The remaini ng grid projects are part of dam construction projects where developers are carrying out the work themselves.
The expansion of rural power grids is aimed at helping people in remote areas to learn about the production and use of electricity to help boost economic development.
About 87 percent of families in Laos now have access to electricity, along with 82.32 percent of villages and 99.31 percent of districts.
By 2025, the government hopes that electricity will be available to 98 percent of all households in the country, the report noted.
Projects that are operated by or fall under the responsi bility of EDL include the construction of a high voltage transmission line and substation expansion in the northern provinces, which started this month.
The construction phase will include the installation of a 115kV transmission line, expansion of capacity at two existing substations, and the construction of a new substation.
The new transmission line will run for 128km and will cost more than 152 billion kip (US$19 million), funded by a loan to the Lao government from the government of Kuwait.
It is expected to expand the high voltage transmission line carrying electricity generated by hydropower plants in the area to the national grid.
It will also allow further connections to grids in China and Thailand to facilitate the sale of power between Laos and its neighbours and other countries in Asia.
The project seeks to ensure enough energy is supplied to meet the needs of households as well as those of small and medium factories in the northern provinces.
Currently Laos' national grid stretches for 47,242.08km, including a high voltage transmission line of 500kV running for 138km that links with neighbouring countries, and another high voltage transmission line of 230kV running for 481.4km that links Lao communities and neighbouring countries.
Another grid to boost local consumption comprises medium voltage transmission lines of 35kV, 34 kV and 22kV running for 24,775.06km, and a low voltage transmission line of 0.4kV running for 16,979.49km.
Another section comprises a high voltage transmission line of 115kV over 4,868.13km, which has been installed for local use.
