First phase of Nam Ou hydro project completed
First phase of Nam Ou hydro project completed
Government officials and representatives from the Nam Ou Hydropower Co., Ltd. and its partners last week joined together to celebrate the completion of the first phase of the Nam Ou Hydropower Project.
The first phase consists of dams numbered 2,5 and 6 located in Phongsaly province.
The entire proj ect covers a section of the Nam Ou river in Luang Prabang and Phongsaly provinces, where the company and the government have agreed to build seven dams.
The first phase has a total installed capacity of 540MW with expected average annual energy output o f 2,334 GWh.
The second phase, to be built in Luang Prabang province, comprises dams 1,3,4 and 7 and has a total capacity of 732MW with average annual energy output of 2,862 GWh, Nam Ou Hydropower Co., Ltd. Managing Director Mr Song Hui Hong said at the ceremony.
The seond phase is expected to begin soon, he said.
The seven dams will have a total installed capacity of 1,272MW with average annual energy output of 5,227GWh.
The investment cost is expected to run to about US$2,800 million and the project has a 29 year concession period.
Most of the electricity generated will be supplied to northern Laos in line with the electricity development plan, policy and strategy to develop industry and technology in the north of the country.
The Nam Ou Hydropower Project is the first investment in a foreign country by Power China, as part of the company's strategy plan and potential, Mr Song Hui said.
The project is bringing infrastructure development to nearby communities to contribute to economic development and create job opportunities for local people.
To date, Laos has 40 operational power plants with a total installed capacity of 6,304MW and an investment cost of more than 10 billion kip, said Minister of Energy and Mines Dr Khammany Inthirath.
About 90 percent of families in Laos now have access to electricity. Compared to 1975, the number of people with electricity has increased 200 times, he added.
There are a further 35 hydropower projects under construction with a total installed capacity of about 4,471MW. All of the projects are expected to be finished by by 2020, said Dr Khammany.
In 2020, Laos will have 75 commercially operational hydropower projects with a total installed capacity of 10,775MW and an average annual energy output of about 55,582 GWh, he added.
