Lao power company lauds China's efforts to push for integrated regional energy system

Lao power company lauds China's efforts to push for integrated regional
energy system

The Lao state-run energy giant EDL-Gen spoke highly of the efforts made by
the State Grid Corporation of China to promote power grid interconnection
and interworking with neighboring countries under the Belt and Road
Initiative.

Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk
Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aiming at
building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and
Africa along the ancient trade routes of Silk Road.

EDL-Gen (Electricite du Laos Generation Public Company) is willing to join
hands with regional countries to build an integrated energy system and
exchange of electrical energy, EDL-Gen director Bounoum Syvanpheng has said.

Hydropower plants built by Chinese companies have helped provide residents
in remote areas in Laos with access to electricity, contributing to the
accomplishment of the country's socio-economic development targets,
according to Lao officials.

According to Bounoum, the Lao government has put forward a number of
policies that promote clean energy and cross-border electrical grid
interconnection in order to facilitate sustainable energy development.

"At present, Laos has connected with regional countries in terms of energy,
but the competitiveness of our system is not strong enough and needs to be
improved to ensure quality and reliability of connection," Bounoum said.

Laos expects China's promotion of power grid interconnection and
interworking with neighboring countries to "contribute to realizing our
common goal," noting that the EDL-Gen will continue to support the exchanges
of electrical energy among regional countries to ensure regional energy
stability.

With the rapid development of ASEAN countries, electricity demand of the
bloc's member states has also surged. Electricity exports have become one of
the main sources for foreign trade and foreign exchange reserves of Laos.

The major sources for electricity in Laos is hydropower. It is estimated
that the gross theoretical capacity of hydropower in Laos can reach some
30,000 MW, and exploitable installed capacity of 25,000 MW.

It is reported that the Lao government expects as many as 90 hydropower
plants to be in operation by 2020. As of the end of 2016, the Southeast
Asian country had 40 operational hydropower plants with an installed
generation capacity of 6300 MW.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Link to Original Article:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-05/06/c_136261573.htm

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com