The 600 MW Monsoon wind power project in southern Lao PDR has commenced full commercial operations. Construction and full grid connection were completed within 27 months, four months ahead of the schedule. The project has 133 wind turbines installed, and is located across the Dak Cheung District in Sekong Province and the Sanxay District in Attapeu Province.
The project was initiated by Impact Electrons Siam (IES), its lead developer and controlling shareholder. Further, it was developed and operated by Monsoon Wind Power Company Limited, with the support of an international consortium of shareholders like IES, ACEN from the Philippines, BCPG and STP&I from Thailand, SMP Consultation from Lao PDR, and Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan and its wholly owned subsidiary, Diamond Generating Asia.
The project supplies renewable electricity to Vietnam’s national grid, marking Asia’s first cross-border renewable energy project. Power is delivered through four 115 kV substations and stepped up to 500 kV before being transferred via a 27 km transmission line to the Lao-Vietnam border. Further in Vietnam, the power is transferred through a 44 km transmission line to EVN’s 500 kV Thanh My substation.
PowerChina undertook the construction for the project, while Envision Energy supplied the wind turbines. Financing was secured from several regional and global lenders, including the Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, Export-Import Bank of Thailand, Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Kasikornbank, and Siam Commercial Bank.
