An aerial view of the Nam Ou River Cascade Hydropower Stations.
The Nam Ou River Cascade Hydropower Project is the only overseas hydropower project in which POWERCHINA is responsible for the planning and development of the whole river basin through a BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) investment model.
It has a total installed capacity of 1,272 MW and an average annual electricity generation of 4.97 billion kilowatt-hours. The estimated total investment in the project is $2.73 billion, and it has a concession period of 29 years, starting from the commercial operation date.
The construction of the project is divided into two phases following the "One Reservoir, Seven Cascades" planning scheme. The first phase involves the development of the second, fifth, and sixth cascade hydropower stations, while the second phase includes the first, third, fourth, and seventh cascade hydropower stations.
The construction of the first phase commenced in October 2012 and was completed in October 2016. The construction of the second phase began on April 8, 2016, and all units started generating electricity on Sept 21, 2021.
As a large-scale clean energy project, it holds strategic importance in the development of Laos' power grid and embodies the strategic alignment and mutual complementarity between China and Laos.
The project will continue to promote local economic and social development, help address poverty issues in Laos, and make a significant contribution to the country's overall economic development.
