Earth Hour in Vientiane saves 110,000kw of electricity

(KPL) Vientiane residents saved 110,000 kw of electricity during the campaign of the Earth Hour, launched worldwide, including Vientiane Capital of Laos, last Saturday. From 19:00 to 20:00 hours on the day locally, lights were off for one hour, saving up 62 million kip. This figure was reported by Electricite du Laos. During the period, more than 4,000 cities and towns in 92 registered countries joined the campaign of the Earth Hour last Saturday. Deputy Prime Minister Asang Laoly and the Head of the Water Resource and Environment Administration Ms Khempheng Pholsena officially switched off the lights of the capital city at 7 pm sharp at the "Patouxay" Monument (Arc of Triumph). This ceremonial event was witnessed by 1,000 local people.

This event was initiated by the Lao station of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to raise awareness of climate change and to give people a voice in the future of the planet. Ms Khempheng said the Earth Hour was about households and businesses switching off their non-essential lights and other electrical appliances for one hour to highlight how the small actions of every person can make a collective difference.

She said climate change was not only a problem for international community, but presented particular challenges for a country like Laos. She also called for developed countries to assist those developing ones to gain access to clean technology for their increasing energy needs. This was the first time Laos participated in the Earth Hour campaign, since its debut in 2007. Ms Khempheng said she hoped it would encourage the public to understand the importance of saving energy, saving the environment and dealing with climate change. "If people could simply make energy saving a habit, it would make the task of making Laos a green and clean country easier," she added.

Luang Prabang: almost 70 per cent of population access electricity

(KPL) Electricity supply has covered 630 villages across the northern province of Luang Prabang, said Director of Luang Prabang Energy and Mining Service, Mr. Saysamone Thidakhone.

Mr. Saysamone said that the villages were inhabited by 46,520 families, accounting for 66.47 per cent of the province population.

The number of electricity-connected households has increased by 32.89 per cent since 2005, according to Mr. Saysamone.

The government is also considering proposals presented by foreign companies to develop hydropower projects in the province, including the hydropower development projects on three rivers of Nam Khane, Nam Ou, and Nam Seuang.

One of the most important hydropower development projects is the Nam Ngum 5 Hydropower Plant which is being built by a Chinese company Sino Hydro Power. The project is expected to be over in 2011.

The investment in mining such as gold, copper, iron and tin, is interesting for investors. For five years the province has permitted 126 companies to invest in the province, mainly in mining.

This year, the cost of mining in the province is estimated at 19.48 billion kip, said Mr. Saysamone. Over 30 companies have presented proposals to the province to invest in mining sector so far this year.

1,300 households in Vientiane province to enjoy electric lights soon

(KPL) Around 1,300 households in 12 villages, Mad district, Vientiane province, are expected to access electricity in 18 months.

An agreement on the expansion of power grid in Vientiane province was signed here on March 29 by Deputy Head of Electricite du Laos in Vientiane province, Mr. Balanh Thanmounty, and Director of the PVP Research and Installation Electricity Company Ltd. Mr. Souvanpheng Chanvanpheng.

Witnesses at the signing ceremony were Chief of Mad district, Mr. Khamsoth Phetdavanh, and Director of the Electricite du Laos, Mr. Savad Phoummala.

The power grid expansion project, costing 19.53 billion kip, will begin next month.

Four out of 19.5 billion kip of the installation is provided by the government of the Lao PDR.

The project work includes the installation of a 79.6 km long 22-kw power line from Nasavang village to Phonsavath village; the installation of thirteen 0.4-kw transformers along a 49-km 0.4 kw power line, and the installation of power meters for 1,300 households.

The 12 villages are the last group to have accessed electricity in Mad district, which has 33 villages, said Mr. Khamsoth.

6,400 poor families have electricity

(KPL) Over 6,400 poor families access to electricity under the Electricity Extension Project, financed by the World Bank and AusAID.

The project, which began in 2008, focuses on helping the poor families in 37 districts of seven central and southern provinces to gain an access to electricity, by investing 700,000 kip in electricity installation of a poor family. Every family who has been installed with electricity network is required to repay 20,000 kip a month to the project and the repayment will be over in 35 months, said Head of the Electricity Extension Project, Mr. Yankham Duangsavanh.

So far the project has been implemented in 249 villages or 95% of its target. And the project is expected to complete the electricity installation for the poor families in seven central and southern provinces soon before starting its activities in nine northern provinces. Under this programme, Luang Prabang will be the first among the northern provinces to have it implemented.

The Electricite du Laos in cooperation with the Electricity Extension Company held a seminar on electricity supply to people in rural areas. The seminar took place in Luang Prabang province on March 23.

Present at the event were Director of the Electricite du Laos, Mr. Boun-oum Sivanpheng and relevant officials from northern and southern provinces.

Nam Ngum 2 dam starts storing water for electricity generation

(KPL) The Nam Ngum 2 dam started storing water to generate electricity after its construction works had completed three months ahead of schedule.

The closing ceremony of the turbine channel to store water in the Nam Ngum 2 dam, in Hom district, Vientiane province, was held on 18 March.

Taking part in the event were Standing Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad, Minister of Energy and Mining, Mr Soulivong Daravong, and other high-ranking officials including specialists of Nam Ngum 2 and representatives of Electricite du Laos.

The Nam Ngum 2 dam is one of many mega hydropower construction projects built in Laos. The construction project initiated in 2006 which was scheduled to be over in December 2010 but the construction work was finished ahead of the set plan for three months. Originally the construction is scheduled to be over in March 2011.

The store-up of water for generating electricity would start in the next five months. It is also expected that additional rainfalls will raise the water level in the Nam Ngum 2 reservoir, which will be high enough for generating electricity.

The Nam Ngum 2 dam is expected to generate electricity on a trial basis in the coming August and in the next four months (upcoming December 2010). The dam will operate its full strength to generate electricity and start distributing electricity into the transmission lines.

The Nam Ngum 2 dam, operated by the Nam Ngum 2 Company Ltd, which has main shareholders including the leading electricity supplier company in Laos "Electricite du Laos" and the Southeast Asia Energy Ltd (the main shareholder of this company was the Ch Karnchang Public Company Limited of Thailand).

The Nam Ngum 2 dam has a generating capacity of 615 megawatts and was built by Ch Karnchang ( Laos) Ltd.

Operating under a concession of 27 years and six months starting this year end, the dam will generate approximately 2,218 gigawatts hour, which will be sold to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat).