Gulf Energy Development Plc has teamed up with a Chinese state enterprise to co-develop the 770-megawatt Pak Lay hydropower project in Laos on the Mekong River. The plant, which is based on run-of-the-river hydroelectric technology, should not impact water volume in the river, according to Gulf’s statement.

Laotians and Thais who depend on the Mekong River for life’s necessities — food, water, income — fear the mighty waterway may be drying up. They say climate change may be a factor in recent droughts in the region, but believe the direct cause of their troubles are the many dams China and Laos have […]

VIENTIANE (Vientiane Times/Asia News Network): Amata Corporation, a major industrial estate developer in Thailand, plans to invest US$1 billion in the construction of the Amata Smart and Eco City in northern Laos.

Cambodia and Laos have agreed to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector as Cambodia currently imports renewable energy from Laos. The agreement was made in a meeting between Mines Minister Suy Sem and his Lao counterpart Daovong Phonekeo in Phnom Penh yesterday.

Thailand’s government has shrugged off concerns voiced by environmentalist groups and agreed to import electricity from several controversial hydroelectric projects on the Mekong River in neighboring Laos.

Laos currently exports more than 6,423MW to other countries, mainly neighbouring countries, a senior official has said. Addressing the National Assembly recently, Minister of Energy and Mines Dr Daovong Phonekeo said several power plants are under construction that will generate electricity for sale to neighbouring countries and other ASEAN member states.

Laos earned $2,012 million from the export of electricity in the first nine months of this year, an increase of 12% compared to the same period last year.

Innosea has joined the owner’s engineer team as technical advisor for one of the world’s largest floating solar projects, to be built in south-east Asia Laos. The Nam Theun 2 hydropower plant reservoir in Laos will host a 240MW floating solar plant covering an area of about 3.2 sq km.

Lao’s government has vowed to diversify its sources of energy by developing solar, wind power and coal-fired power plants to address the electricity shortage in the dry season.

As the Covid-19 pandemic spurs the acceleration of digitisation and demand for data, governments and companies across Asia Pacific are actively looking for ways to fast track both their digital transformation and decarbonisation efforts.