Second Long River dam under construction in Luang Namtha
Second Long River dam under construction in Luang Namtha
Work on the Nam Long II hydropower dam on the Long River in Long district, Luang Namtha province, is now over 10 percent complete and the dam is expected to start generating electricity in 2019.
The project is a joint investment between Luangpaseuth Corporation Company (LCC) with 80 percent and Electricite du Laos (EDL) holding the remaining 20 percent, LCC President Mr Bounleuth Luangpaseuth told Vientiane Times recently.
US$30 million has been invested in the project and the dam will have an installed capacity of 10MW.
Most of the electricity generated will be exported to Myanmar.
Luangpaseuth Corporation Company is building the second dam on the river after making a considerable outlay on the first plant, mainly for construction equipment, heavy machinery, road access, and installation of power lines.
The Nam Long 1 hydropower project helped to improve the lives of local people by creating job opportunities and giving villagers advice and assistance for crop growing and animal husbandry, enabling them to boost production and sell their crops and animals locally.
Construction of this dam was completed in late 2013 and generation of electricity began on a commercial scale in 2014. The project contributed to socio-economic development in the province and district, especially in the form of revenue generation.
The project cost about US$16 million and the dam has an installed capacity of 5.6MW and produces 37 GWh of electricity a year, in a joint venture between LCC and EDL.
The hydropower plant is a run-of-river scheme and the second project is similar in design. Run-of-river dams mean that power generation depends on the immediate river water flows. This system of operation is free of the environmental impacts associated with large-scale projects due to their run-of-river design, which does not require a large dam or storage reservoir.
Run-of-river projects generate electricity by diverting only part of the stream. This produces relatively little change in the stream channel and flow, and minimises the impact on fish migration, water quality, and wildlife habitats.
The government is promoting the rapid development of small and medium power plants for local supply, aiming to reduce the need for imported electricity.
Hydropower produces about 20 percent of the electricity generated around the world, making it the most widely used alternative energy source on earth, according to the LCC. Compared to carbon fuel, hydropower is a more attractive way to meet energy demands.
An increasingly significant amount of the energy produced via hydropower replaces the use of 22 billion gallons of oil each year.
