China's First Overseas Whole Basin Cascade Hydropower Project Goes into Full Operation

A bird's eye view of the Nam Ou River Cascade Hydropower Project in Laos [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

All plants of the Nam Ou River Cascade Hydropower Project in Laos, the first overseas project to obtain development rights over a whole river basin to be invested and developed by a Chinese company, are now in service.

Originating from the border area of Southwest China's Yunnan Province and North Laos' Phongsali, the Nam Ou River is the largest branch of the Mekong River in Laos. With a total length of 475 kilometers and a natural vertical drop of about 430 meters, the Nam Ou River has outstanding hydroenergy, making it one of the water resource bases strongly promoted for development by the Lao government.

Developed by Power Construction Corporation of China (POWERCHINA), the cascade hydropower plant project has a total installed capacity of more than 1.27 million kilowatts and is able to generate nearly 5.02 billion kilowatt-hours of power annually.

The operation of the plants is expected to provide more than 10 percent of the power demand in Laos, supporting the country's economic and social development, as well as the construction and operation of several major infrastructure projects, like the China-Laos Railway.

The project will also set a model for hydropower development in the country.

(Executive editor: Niu Yilin)