(KPL) A ceremony to mark the installation of the first turbine of the 600MW Monsoon Wind Power Project, in Dakcheung district, Xekong province was held last week in the presence of the Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.

The wind farm will consist of 133 turbines, which are expected to be installed by the end of 2025 on a 1,000-hectare site stretching across 25 villages.

It will be the largest wind farm in Southeast Asia, with a production capacity of 600MW and a total construction cost of US$900 million, according to Vientianetime report.

Some 110 turbines will be installed in Dakcheung district and 23 in Sanxay district, with the electricity generated to be sold to Vietnam under a 25-year contract period.

The Prime Minister, in the company of other government and project leaders, pressed a button to officially declare the first wind turbine open, and struck a gong as a gesture of gratitude for the project’s progress.

Also attending the opening ceremony, the Managing Director of Monsoon Wind Power Company Limited, Mr Nat Hutanuwatr, accompanied by the company’s Authorised Signatory, Mr Niwat Adirek, said each of the turbines will stand on a firm and eco-friendly foundation that is about 22 metres wide and 35 metres deep. The tower itself is 110 metres tall and is fitted with a blade that is 85.5 metres long.

“The turbine has a diameter of 171 metres. The project is currently 30 percent complete and construction is expected to be finished and electricity generation to start in 2025,” he added.

The generation of wind power is viewed as fundamental for the country’s economic development and a contribution to solid, strong and sustainable growth.

The Governor of Xekong province, Mr Leklay Sivilay, said the project will help to improve the living standards of local people, including ethnic groups, by creating jobs, improving transport infrastructure, and facilitating access to farmland and remote villages.

“When the project is complete it will help to attract nature-based tourism, which will enhance the economic and social development of the province and spur efforts to eradicate poverty,” he added.

During his visit to Xekong, the Prime Minister met with the leaders of Xekong, Attapeu and Saravan provinces to advise them on ways to resolve ongoing economic and financial difficulties such as inflation, high currency exchange rates, rising prices, and mounting foreign debt.

Mr  Sonexay urged provincial authorities to collect data on goods produced locally and do more to support domestic production and reduce imports.

He also asked for proper oversight of development projects funded by Lao and foreign companies, urging officials to speed up those that are slow to make progress. He advised that projects that are inactive should be scrapped or their problems resolved so that they achieved the set objectives.

KPL