Lao and Chinese investors have agreed to develop plans to build the Nam Mang 1 hydropower plan in the central province of Borikhamxay in light of positive results from a feasibility study on the project. Representatives from the Saytha Construction Company, Sichuan, China-based Dongfang Electric Corporation and Hong Kong-based C (Far East) Industrial Ltd signed a project development agreement for the dam with Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Thongmy Phomvisay on Thursday. Attending the signing ceremony were Standing Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad, Borikhamxay Governor Khampa Philavong, minister, senior government officials and representatives of the investing companies. The dam will proceed to the planning stage after the feasibility study showed that the project site, located on the Nam Mang in Thaphabath district, about 105km from Vientiane, holds potential for hydropower generation. According to an early estimation by the company, the Nam Mang 1 hydropower plant will cost about US$ 90 million to build. The installed generation capacity of the plant would be 57 megawatts, and the dam would generate more than 200GWh of power annually. The investors plan to sell power to Electricite du Laos, the only state owned power enterprise, which holds a monopoly on the supply of electricity in Laos.
Source: Vientiane Times
