Laos-China power link raises transmission capacity to 1,500MW
The interconnection can carry surplus Lao electricity to China during the rainy season and bring power into Laos during the dry season.
Electricity transmission capacity between Laos and China has risen 30 times, from 50MW to 1,500MW, following the April opening of a 500kV interconnection, according to Soulivanh Thammavong, deputy managing director of Electricité du Laos Transmission Company Limited (EDL-T).
Soulivanh told reporters that the project gives Laos capacity to export as much as 3 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity a year. It supports exports of rainy-season surpluses to earn foreign currency, while allowing imports from China to cover domestic needs during the dry season.
Power from the Nam Ou 5, 6 and 7 hydropower plants in Phongsaly province is reaching China’s Greater Bay Area through the connection. Exports to the area, which includes Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, have reached approximately 600 million kilowatt-hours.
Laos’ first mountaintop solar farm is also supplying Yunnan province. Its exports are expected to total 1.1 billion kilowatt-hours in 2026, with current monthly deliveries of around 120 million kilowatt-hours. Solar farms under development are expected to provide a further 1,000MW, with cross-border transmission targeted within 12 months.
Within Laos, connecting the 500kV system to the existing 115kV network is expected to make electricity supplies more reliable in the north. Combining hydropower, solar generation and cross-border transmission is intended to help manage seasonal variations in supply and demand.
Soulivanh said Lao staff could now handle daily operations and maintenance of the 500kV system independently, following training and a period of joint operation.
