Laos, Thailand sign power purchase agreement

(KPL) The developers of the Sepien-Senamnoi Hydropower Project signed here last week a memorandum of understanding on electricity purchase with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT).

The signatories to the agreement were representatives of the Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding (public), the SK Engineering and Construction, the Korea Western Power Group, the Lao Holding State Enterprise and the EGAT.

According to the document, the EGAT is committed to purchasing electricity generated from the Sepien-Senamnoi Hydropower Project for 27 years.

The Sepien-Senamnoi Hydropower Project is the fourth biggest dam in the Lao PDR, including the Nam Ngum 2 and 3 in Vientiane provinces, and the Hongsa Lignite Power House in northwestern Sayaboury province.

The project has an investment of US$877 million. The project�s developers confirm that they will complete the construction as planned and begin to generate power by 2018.

The Sepien-Senamnoi Hydropower Project is a cooperation project between the Lao and Thai governments.

The dam�s area stretches partly on the territories of the southern Attapeu and Champassak provinces.

EGAT inks electricity purchase from Sayaboury hydropower dam

(KPL) The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has agreed to purchase 1,220-kW at a cost of 2,159 baht per kilowatt-hours (kWh), from Sayaboury hydropower dam. The dam is an investment by the Ch. Karnchang Public Company Ltd. of Thailand.

The EGAT will purchase electricity from Sayaboury hydropower dam throughout the concession of the Ch. Karnchang Public Company Ltd of Thailand, by connecting a 220 km 500-kW transmission line of the EGAT from a substation in Loei province, northeast Thailand, to the electricity system of the Sayaboury hydropower dam.

By 2019, the Sayaboury hydropower dam is expected to generate electricity and export it to Thailand.

The Sayaboury hydropower dam will be built in Sayaboury district, northwestern Laos, under the management of the Mekong River Commission and is based on an agreement reached between Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam related to the cooperation and sustainable development for lower part of the Mekong River.

A signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding on the electricity purchase took place at the Done Chanh Palace Hotel, 5 July between representatives of the EGAT and the Ch. Karnchang Public Company Ltd. of Thailand in presence of Standing Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad and officials of both sides.

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).