Khwa and Samphanh residents to enjoy electricity supply in mid-2011

(KPL) The Heuangpaseuth Electricity Construction and Installation Company signed a contract with the Ministry of Energy and Mining to carry out the installation of 22 kV and 0.4 kV transmission line network and transformers in the northernmost province of Phongsaly.
The signing ceremony for the transmission line installation project was held in Vientiane Capital last Friday.
The contract was signed between Director General of the Heuangpaseuth Electricity Construction and Installation Company, Mr. La Khamdy, Deputy Cabinet Head of the Ministry of Energy and Mining, Mr. Chaleun Inthavy, and Deputy Head of the Energy and Mining Service of Phongsaly province, Mr. Pheng Nilavong.
The contractor confirmed that the installation work would be completed in 16 months.
The installation costs 33.7 billion kip, which will be a pre-investment of the contractor.
The installation of the 22-kV power grid stretches 76.2 km from Sinsay village junction in Khwa district to Samphanh district while the 0.4 kV power grid will be 13.4 km long.
Vice-Governor of Phongsaly province, Mr. Pheng Nilavong, said that the electricity consumption rate in this northernmost province was the lowest among all the provinces in the country, accounting for 13 per cent of the total 167,181 households nationwide.
He went on that this project would supply electricity to 1,240 households in 19 villages of Khwa and Samphanh districts. This project is to materialise the Energy and Mining Development Strategy Plan till 2020 as the 7th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (2011-2015).
According to the 7th NSEDP, the amount of electricity consumption nationwide will cover 70 per cent of the entire households nationwide in 2010, 80 per cent in 2015 and 90 per cent in 2020.
In mid-2009, 65 per cent of households countrywide have accessed to permanent electricity supply. To fulfil the plan, this year the �Electricite du Laos� will strive to expand the network of power supply to no less than five per cent of the entire households nationwide