Nam Tha, Riding the Wind, Breaking the Waves
Nam Tha, Riding the Wind, Breaking the Waves
The Nam Tha 1 hydropower station in Bokeo province is the first overseas invested Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) project by the China Southern Power Grid Company.
Since 2006, the project has experienced multiple stages such as site exploration, contract negotiations and construction.
The construction team of the Nam Tha 1 Lao Power Company has been stationed in the mountains and forests of Laos for years, passing through numerous dangers and hardships. Finally the construction of this project successfully started at the end of 2013.
Up until now, the construction of the Nam Tha 1 hydropower project has been being carried out under high pressure, with the first unit expected to be put into operation by the end of 2017.
The hydro project is located in Phaxang village in Pha Oudom district, and has an installed capacity of 168MW, with three generator units.
The commercial operation date is estimated to be around the beginning of 2018, with the first generator unit to be launched at the end of 2017.
The Nam Tha 1 hydropower project will resettle over 10,000 people, considered to be the largest resettlement compared to power plant capacity.
They will be relocated to higher ground in Bokeo and Luang Namtha provinces, in 11 resettlement sites. Resettlement is already under way, along with the restoration of livelihoods.
The Nam Tha 1 project team is a veritable “international team” and includes Chinese employees, Lao employees, and Lao citizens of Chinese origin.
Though they have different professional backgrounds and career experiences, they all came to be a part of the team coincidentally as if their heartswere summoned by the common mission of building the Nam Tha 1 hydropower plant.
They began their journey in the forest, making friendships, and leaving their youth and love here.
An immigration engineer Mr Lovanh Kiatoukaysy said he is very grateful to China for all the efforts of the project team because the lives of local people will become better and better, which is also his wish for a long time.
Mr Lovanh always feel conflicted to see how Lao people set fire to mountains, burn numerous trees, and engage in slash-and-burn cultivation, which has been their traditional lifestyle for thousands of years. He loves the forest, and feels that trees should not be burned in vain.
He is certain that they can find a bet ter way of life, which is why he ch ose to study agriculture and forestry in the first place.
The construction of the Nam Tha 1 hydropower project allows him to see hope through doing what he always wanted to do, because the project helps to improve local infrastructure, and restore and improve the livelihoods of immigrants.
The Project Company's Chairman Mr Han Rui said the international BOT project in general involves financial, tax, legal, social, environmental and many other issues, and the negotiation process is often very long.
H owever, since renegotiation started in 2013, under the joint efforts of the project team members, the development period is well ahead of schedule and the negotiation process for each protocol is about six months shorter than the usual time.
After many rounds of repeated negotiations, we insist to promote the development of the project with the greatest sincerity on the basis of the minimum acceptable rate of return on investme nt.
Lao Deputy Prime Minister Mr Somsavat Lengsavad said at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Nam Tha 1 hydropower project that the successful development of the project is another important achievement in electrical power cooperation between Laos and China.
“This project is an important manifestation of the strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries as well, and the implementation of the project will also promote the development of the local economy and society, and greatly improve the lives of the people in revolutionary areas,” he said.
Mr Somsavat emphasised that the Lao government will continue to support the project, and he looked forward to further commun ication and collaboration between the China Southern Power Grid Company and Electricite du Laos on grid interconnection, electricity trade and co-investment.
Nam Tha 1 Lao Power Company is a joint venture between China Southern Power Grid International Co., Ltd. and Electricite du Laos, with the two companies holding an 80 percent and 20 percent share respectively.
Nam Tha 1 Lao Power Company is located at Saphanthong Villa, House #03, Saphanthong village, Sisattanak district, Vientiane.
