(KPL) The Xekaman 1 hydropower project reservoir in the Lao province of Attapeu officially began storing water on 9 May. The project is the result of an electricity cooperation agreement between the Vietnamese and Lao Governments.

According to the report from VNA, the project comprises the Vietnamese-invested Xekaman 1 plant on the lower Xekaman River and its counterpart Xekaman Sanxay further downstream.

 The 290 megawatt facility Xekaman 1 is located about 80 kilometres north of Vietnam’s Bo Y border gate and has two turbines and a 4.8 billion-cubic-metre reservoir.

Its first turbine is scheduled to start generating electricity in March 2016 and the second is set to become operational two months later.  The first and second turbines of the 32 megawatt Sekaman Sanxay will go into operation in April and July of 2017, respectively.

The Xekaman 1 hydropower project represents an investment of over US$541 million — including over US$54 million that was spent on the 230 kilovolt power transmission lines.

The build-operate-transfer project is designed to have a combined output of 1.21 billion kilowatt hours per year, about 80 percent of which will be exported to Vietnam. The rest will be consumed in Laos.

Speaking at the reservoir’s opening ceremony, the Governor of Attapeu Province Nam Viyaketh said, “This project creates a major power generation advantage in southern Laos that is critical to the country’s socio-economic development.”

“It is also a symbol of the special cooperation and friendship between Vietnam and Laos,” he added.

KPL