Kansai Electric Power Co. Inc. has announced that the 290 MW Nam Ngiep 1 hydropower plant has officially started its commercial operations.
The plant is operated by Nam Ngiep 1 Power Company, a joint investment of Kansai, EGAT International, and Lao Holding State Enterprise, and received the Commercial Operation Date certificate from the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand on Sept. 5. Construction of the project began in October 2014.
The plant is located in the Nam Ngiep River, which is in between Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Thailand. It features a dam with 167 m high and 530 m long at its crest and two power stations. The Main Power Station has a capacity of 270 MW and the Re-Regulation Power Station with a capacity of 20 MW. Electricity from the Main Power Station is supplied to EGAT, and electricity from the Re-Regulation Power Station is provided to Electricite du Laos.
In August 2013, Nam Ngiep 1 Power Company entered into the power purchase agreement with EGAT and EDL, for 27 years upon commercial operation of the facility.
