Electricity generation in Laos is produced by one coal-fired power plant and several hydroelectric dams. 53% of power generated in 2016 came from renewable sources. The majority of power produced from the Hongsa plant is exported to Thailand. The Xayaburi run-of-river dam is expected to generate over 7,000 GWh of electricity per year, which will mainly be exported to Thailand as part of the development of an interconnected Southeast Asian energy market.
Thermal
Power plant Fuel Capacity (MW) Units Year completedHongsaLignite 1878 3 x 626 MW 2015
Hydroelectric Table 1: Existing Lao hydropower stations (15 MW installed capacity and above).
Plant name River River basin Location COD Installed capacity (MW) Mean annual energy (GWh) Height (m) Crest length (m) Total storage (m3) Max reservoir area (km2) Don Sahong Mekong Mekong 2020 240 2,000 25 6,800 25 2.2 Houay Ho Houayho/Xekong Mekong 1999 152 450 79 3,530 37 Houay La Nge Houay La-Nge Mekong 2023 60 290 58 179 14 93.6 Houay Lamphan Gnai Xekong Mekong 2015 84.8 480 77 74.5 140 9 Houay Por Houay Por Mekong 2018 15 75 6 0.76 Lower Houay Lam Phanh Houay Lamphan Mekong 2022 15 68 55 523 73.9 Nam Ao Nam Ao Mekong 2023 15 92 26 130 52 4.9 Nam Beng Nam Beng Mekong 2014 36 145 25.5 84.8 3,611 0.7 Nam Che 1 Nam Che Mekong 2019 16.8 23 50 Nam Chien 1 Nam Che Mekong 2018 104 448.2 68.8 367 14 Nam Houng 1 Nam Houng Mekong 2023 15 57 1.52 Nam Khan 2 Nam Khan Mekong 2015 130 558 160 405 30.5 Nam Khan 3 Nam Khan Mekong 2016 88 480 77 74.5 140 9 Nam Kong 1 Nam Kong Mekong 2021 160 649 87 386 679 21.8 Nam Kong 2 Nam Kong Mekong 2018 66 264 50 210 71.4 4.2 Nam Kong 3 Nam Kong Mekong 2021 54 204 65 500 471 32 Nam Leuk Nam Leuk/Nam Ngum Mekong 2000 60 215 51.5 800 185 17.2 Nam Lik 1 Nam Lik Mekong 2019 64 256 36.5 72 22.3 Nam Lik 1-2 Nam Lik Mekong 2010 100 435 103 328 11 24.4 Nam Mang 1 Nam Mang Mekong 2016 64 225 70 280 16.5 0.148 Nam Mang 3 Nam Gnogn Mekong 2004 40 150 28 151 49 10 Nam Ngiep 1 Nam Ngiep Mekong 2019 272 1,546 167 530 1,192 67 Nam Ngiep 1 (DS) Nam Ngiep Mekong 2019 18 105 20 90 4.6 1.27 Nam Ngiep 2 Nam Ngiep Mekong 2015 180 732 70.5 163 Nam Ngiep 2B Nam Ngiep Mekong 2015 18 76 Nam Ngiep 3A Nam Ngiep Mekong 2014 44 144 30 110 13.85 1.8 Nam Ngum 1 Nam Ngum Mekong 1971 315 1,455 70 468 4,700 370 Nam Ngum 2 Nam Ngum Mekong 2011 615 2,300 181.5 421 3,590 122.2 Nam Ngum 5 Nam Ngum Mekong 2012 120 507 104.5 258 314 14.6 Nam Ou 1 Nam Ou Mekong 2019 160 710 65 442 89.1 9.56 Nam Ou 2 Nam Ou Mekong 2016 120 546 55 352 121.7 15.7 Nam Ou 3 Nam Ou Mekong 2020 150 685 72 340 168.6 13.26 Nam Ou 4 Nam Ou Mekong 2020 116 524 47 300 124 9.37 Nam Ou 5 Nam Ou Mekong 2016 240 1,049 74 335 17.22 Nam Ou 6 Nam Ou Mekong 2016 180 739 88 409 17.01 Nam Ou 7 Nam Ou Mekong 2020 190 811 147 825 1,494 38.16 Nam Pha Gnai Nam Pha Gnai Mekong 2016 19.2 130 65 148 1.5 Nam Phay Nam Phay Mekong 2018 86 419.5 18.92 Nam San 3A Nam San Mekong 2016 69 278.4 75 350 123 8.5 Nam San 3B Nam San Mekong 2015 45 198 Nam Tha 1 Nam Tha Mekong 2018 168 759.4 93.7 349.2 1,755 113.9 Nam Tha Had Muak Nam Tha Mekong 2022 37.5 102.67 Nam Theun 1 Nam Theun Mekong 2022 650 2,561 177 771 2,772 93.6 Nam Theun 2 Nam Theun/Xe Bangfai Mekong 2010 1,075 5,936 48 325 3,500 450 Theun-Hinboun Nam Theun Mekong 1998 220 1,645 48 810 1,300 49 Theun-Hinboun Expansion Project Nam Gnouang Mekong 2013 222 1,395 65 480 2,450 49 Xayaburi Mekong Mekong 2019 1,285 6,035 48 810 1,300 49 Xe Kaman 1 Xe Kaman Mekong 2018 290 1,096 120 185 4,804 149.8 Xe Kaman 3 Xe Kaman Mekong 2014 250 1,000 102 543 141.5 5.2 Xe Kaman-Sanxay Xe Kaman Mekong 2018 32 131.2 28 180 1.76 Xe Lanong 1 Xe Lanong Mekong 2020 70 269.9 67.5 302 953 Xepian-Xenamnoy Xepian/Xenamnoy Mekong 2019 427 1,788 73 1,600 1,043 50.6 Xe Nam Noy - Xe Katam Xenamnoi/Xekatam Mekong 2016 20.1 83 Xeset 1 Xeset Mekong 1994 45 154 18 124 Xeset 2 Xeset Mekong 2009 76 309 26 144 Xeset 3 Xe Don Mekong 2017 23 80 11 1.3
Notes: COD = commercial operating date; MW = megawatt; GWh = gigawatt hours; m = metres; m3 = cubic metres; km2 = square kilometres.
Table 2: Hydropower dams under construction in Laos (15 MW installed capacity and above)
Project River River basin Location COD Installed capacity (MW) Mean annual energy (GWh) Height (m) Crest length (m) Total storage (million m3) Max reservoir area (km2) Houay Kaouane Mekong ? 24 Luang Prabang Mekong Mekong 2030 1,460 6,500 80 275 1,589.5 72.39 Nam Ang Nam Ang Mekong 2024 31 183.3 0.03 Nam Emoun Nam Emoun Mekong 2025 131.5 460.59 29 127 0.07 0.16 Nam Hinboun 1 Nam Hinboun Mekong 2024 15 79.74 33 70 Nam Hinboun 2 Nam Hinboun Mekong ? 30 155.2 38 2.57 Nam Ngao Nam Hinboun Mekong ? 15 81.1 69 438.6 2.57 Nam Neun 3 Nam Neun Vietnam Coast 2025 60 250 110 340 12 Nam Ngum 3 Nam Ngum Mekong 2024 480 2,345 220 395 1,411 27.51 Nam Ngum 4 Nam Ngum Mekong 2024 240 872 74 110 Nam Phan (Bolevan) Nam Phak Mekong 2025 168 788 Nam Pot 1 Nam Pot Mekong ? 20 92 4.9 Nam Sam 3 Nam Sam Vietnam Coast 2025 156 626 Xe Lanong 2 Xe Lanong Mekong ? 35 143 55 Xekong A (DS) Xekong Mekong 2025 86 334.7 8.5 95.03 25.4 Xekong 4B (DS) Xekong Mekong 2027 175 801 117 1,004.7 22.4
Notes: COD = commercial operating date; MW = megawatt; GWh = gigawatt hours; m = metres; m3 = cubic metres; km2 = square kilometres.
References
Ministry of Energy and Mines - Power Projects (archived)