Laos to generate 15,000 mln kWh in 2015

The Lao government aims to generate 15,000 million kWh of electricity in 2015 in a bid to reduce dependence on imports, official Lao news agency KPL reported on Tuesday.

The plan for 2015 also includes the expansion of power infrastructure to rural and remote areas and the scaling up of electricity exports to neighboring countries.

"The development of power plants is a priority of the energy sector and every related activity receives attention from all stakeholders, either construction, generation, marketing, and consumption by end users," Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines, Khammany Inthilath told KPL.

The government expects to export more than 11,700 million kWh next year, generating some 535 million U.S. dollars in revenue. The government will seek to import approximately 1,128 million kWh worth approximately 63.21 million U.S. dollars.

In 2013-14 the Lao PDR imported approximately 1,160 million kWh of electricity valued at approximately 63 million U.S. dollars.

As of this year there are 25 operational dams in the Lao PDR with a combined capacity of more than 3,000 MW. Into the future the country's electricity generation is set to expand with 27 dams in construction and 71 projects in the study phase.

The remainder of this year will see the 14 MW Nam Sana and 44 MW Nam Ngiep 3A projects come online. In 2015 eight new dams are expected to come online generating an additional 2,247 MW.

In the period 2016-2020, more than 19 projects are scheduled for completion. These projects will have a combined generation capacity of 3,492 MW, more than doubling the country's current installed capacity.