Laos: Nam Ngiep 1 Project Starts Impounding Water

Laos: Nam Ngiep 1 Project Starts Impounding Water

Nam Ngiep 1 Hydropower Project (NNP1) commenced impounding water in its
re-regulation reservoir on 15th May 2017, with electricity generation
scheduled to start before the mandated date in early 2019 after all
electrical and mechanical installation is completed and the 115 kV
transmission line is built by Electricité du Laos.

Impounding is expected to last 10 days and during this period not less than
the prescribed minimum riparian release will be allowed to flow downstream
with the water level in the reservoir controlled to increase by
approximately one metre per day unless a natural rain event upstream causes
extreme flood conditions during the expected impounding period.

After completion of impounding, the water will have reached the top of the
labyrinth weir, 179 m above sea level, and thereafter water will
continuously overflow from the re-regulating reservoir with flows
proportional to the natural inflow into the river as usual.

Some minimal disturbance to the flow and the water level of the Ngiep River
downstream of the re-regulating dam is expected during this short period of
impounding.

An impounding ceremony took place on 15th May 2017 at the re-regulation dam
in Bolikhan District, Bolikhamxay Province, and was attended by Governor of
Bolikhamxay Province Dr Khongkeo Xaysongkham, provincial government
officials, community members, and the senior management and staff of NNP1.

"Nam Ngiep 1 Hydropower Project is one of the priority projects of the Lao
government and is expected to contribute to poverty alleviation in the Lao
PDR once it starts generating revenue for the government from the sale of
electricity," said Dr Khongkeo at the ceremony.

"I would like to congratulate and thank everyone who has worked tirelessly
towards this milestone. This is another remarkable achievement and one step
closer to completion of the construction of the NNP1 Project," said Mr.
Yoshihiro Yamabayashi, the Managing Director of Nam Ngiep 1 Power Company
Limited.

NNP1 is a hydropower project with an installed capacity of 290 megawatts,
which is under construction in Bolikhamxay and Xaysomboun Provinces. The
project consists of the construction of two dams and two powerhouses along
the Ngiep River in Bolikhamxay Province. It is the smaller of the two dams
which has now been completed.

The construction of the project started in late 2014 and, as of the end of
April 2017, approximately 68 percent work had been completed, with all
critical parts of the works on or ahead of schedule. The progress is
expected to be 90 percent complete by the end of 2017 and substantial early
completion of the project construction is planned by August 2018.

The impounding of the main reservoir is expected to start prior to the rainy
season in 2018 after completion of the 167 m high roller-compacted concrete
main dam, which is the tallest of its kind both in Laos and in the region.

Other major works, including the construction of the 120 km long 230 kV
transmission line from the main dam in Bolikhan District to the Nabong
Substation, Vientiane Capital, have made steady progress. The 230kV supply
from NNP1 will be stepped up to 500kV supply at Nabong, the expansion of
which is currently under construction, before it is used to transmit
electricity across the Mekong River as an export to Thailand.

The resettlement of approximately 500 households in both Bolikhamxay and
Xaysomboun Provinces is underway, with the first resettlement of one village
in Bolikhan completed in late November 2016. The final overall resettlement
is expected to be concluded by the end of 2017.

NNP1 is being built and will be operated by the Nam Ngiep 1 Power Company,
whose shareholders are Kansai Electric of Japan, EGAT International, and the
Lao Holding State Enterprise.

The Project expects to begin to generating electricity in early 2019 and
approximately 95 percent of this power will be exported to Thailand, the
remainder being used for domestic consumption.

The Project expects to generate more than USD 600 million in direct revenue
and other indirect benefits to the Lao Government during its 27-year
concession period, after which ownership will be transferred to the Lao
Government.

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Link to Original Article: http://kpl.gov.la/En/Detail.aspx?id=24597

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com