Laos will also export another 100MW of power to Singapore
via Thailand and Malaysia’s network by 2020

Phetsamone Phommuny

(KPL) Laos will export 200 MW of electricity to Myanmar by the year 2020, said the Director General of the Department of Energy Business, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Mr. Xaypaseuth Phomsoupha.

The Energy Business Department has a plan and policy that will be implemented from now to 2020. The department will strive to raise the electrification ratio to 95 percent of population across the country and this plan is amongst the priorities of the government to eradicate the country’s poverty, he said recently.

Lao PDR is known as a rich country in terms of hydropower resources, because it has many rivers.  Laos currently has 42 operational hydropower plants with an installed capacity of 6,391 MW, which generate about 33,822.4 GWh annually.

At present, Laos sells electricity mainly to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Thailand is the main export market, requiring up to 10,000 MW, while Vietnam buys 5,000 MW per year.

In addition, Laos will also export another 100MW of power to Singapore via Thailand and Malaysia's network by 2020.

The abundant resources of the Mekong River and its tributaries give Laos the potential to produce more than 25,000MW of electricity.

The number of hydropower plants will increase from 42 to 50 as the government and private energy developers try to complete the construction of additional electricity generating power plants this year.

The 50 power plants will be able to generate about 30 billion kWh, of which 21.1 billion kWh will be exported and the rest will be supplied to the local grid.

KPL