One of the seven hydropower dams on the Nam Ou river in Phongsaly district, Phongsaly province.

Nam Ou hydro plants provide stable power supply

All seven of the hydropower dams on the Nam Ou river in Luang Prabang and Phongsaly provinces are now operational and have so far generated more than 14.8 billion kWh.
The seven plants generate electricity around the clock and are fundamental to the Lao government’s objective to provide sufficient energy for the country, including the electricity needed to power the Laos-China railway.
General Manager of the Nam Ou River Basin Power Co., Ltd., (part of PowerChina), Mr Song Huihong, said PowerChina had invested in the Nam Ou hydropower cascade and this was the first project to be undertaken by a Chinese company on a river in a foreign country using the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model.
The project was agreed to by the presidents of the two countries, to be “the main source of electricity” in northern Laos.
The project consists of seven hydropower stations, with an installed capacity of 1272MW across the whole basin. All the power stations became operational this year and are the main hydropower energy base in the north.
They are connected to the Nam Ngum 5 hydropower plant using an “eight dams and one control centre” model of operation to manage the production and operation of hydropower dams in Laos.
The project has provided more than 10,000 jobs and more than 10,000 people have been relocated from the water catchment area to new houses.
PowerChina has built schools, temples, health centres, water and electricity systems, roads and other facilities for the new communities, as well as 20 bridges and more than 500 kilometres of road.
The company is now attempting to ensure that displaced villagers have permanent jobs so they are able to earn a regular income.
Mr Song said the Nam Ou hydro plants are a milestone in the development of the energy sector in Laos and will support the stable generation of electricity as well as improving the water volume in the river basin.
The Nam Ou 7 dam is built from solid rock with reinforced concrete and has a wall 143.5 metres high. The generating station consists of two 105MW engines and a normal water level of 635 metres. The total volume of water in the basin exceeds 1.700 million cubic metres, which can adjust the volume of water in the basin according to the amount of water each year.
The Nam Ou 7 hydro station is the largest hydropower plant on the Nam Ou River.

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update October 4, 2022)