How good if we can bring electricity to people in remote area

The distance from Vang Vieng substation to Luang Prabang substation is about 250 kilometers across the mountainous area. 22 kV distribution lines could not reach all people living between these 2 substations. Most of people are from minority tribes living in sparsely populated villages.

In the Thalat-Luang Prabang transmission line besides the normal high voltage conductors, the top wire, usually used as lightning protection wire, is supplied with 25 kV power. The villages nearby the transmission line can get electricity from that overhead wire.

The electricity obtained from that wire is transformed to low voltage single phased network. It can not be used with 3 phase motors, just for lighting.

That system is unique. It can be seen only in Laos or may be in another poorest countries. We call it shield wire system.

This 25 kV shield wire system is used along Thalat-Luang Prabang transmission line only. It provides electricity to the area where conventional 22 kV lines could not meet the internal rate of return.

There is another shield wire system which supplies 34.5 kV line on doubled overhead ground wires and gives the villagers 3 phase energy to run motors. This system came after the first and is being used in the Northern Laos while the SWER system is being used in the South.


I can answer to some of your question but not all, please discuss about this. Post your comments please.