Banks| Policies| Dodgy Deals| Campaigns
About us| Blog| Publications| Successes| Contact us| Donate
About BankTrack
Visit us
Organisation
Our team
Our board
Guiding principles
Team up with us
Join our Active Allies list
Our annual reports
Funding and finances
History
BankTrack in the media
Our privacy policy
Donate
2021-02-24 00:00:00
Protect the climate but finance Total?
2021-02-16 00:00:00
Oil and gas financiers are staring down the barrel at $1 trillion in losses: time to rein in support for new pipelines
2021-02-11 00:00:00
Beefing up risk: the exposure of JBS’ financiers to financial, regulatory and reputational risks
2021-01-25 00:00:00
Why should banks support EU mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence?
2020-09-24 12:53:20
Oscislowo open-pit coal mine cancelled
2020-09-08 13:07:41
Strengthened OECD guidance on responsible banking
2020-02-25 10:35:27
JPMorgan Chase Coal and Arctic Policy a step forward but fails to match its climate responsibility as the world’s #1 Fossil Bank
2020-02-18 17:27:23
Civil society groups welcome Royal Bank of Scotland preparing to exit fossil fuels
Connect
2021-03-24 00:00:00
Banking on Climate Chaos 2021
2021-03-22 00:00:00
BankTrack Annual Report 2020
2021-02-01 00:00:00
Banking on Thin Ice
2020-11-30 00:00:00
Soft Commitments, Hard Lessons: an analysis of the Soft Commodities Compact
2020-11-24 00:00:00
"Trust Us, We're Equator Banks": Part II
2020-11-18 00:00:00
Crude Risk: Risks to banks and investors from the East African Crude Oil Pipeline
See all publications
Browse
Home
Banks
Dodgy Deals
Map
Campaigns
About
About BankTrack
Donate
Contact BankTrack
Publications
Victories
Follow Us
News
BankTrack blog
Facebook page
Twitter channel
Home › News
Theun Hinboun expansion project marks breakthrough
Start
Banks
Dodgy Deals

By: Phonsavanh Vongsay
2010-11-23
Laos

Share this page:

Excavation of the headrace tunnel at the Theun Hinboun hydropower plant expansion project in Khammuan province cleared a major hurdle on Sunday after almost a year of work.

Work on the tunnel, which is 5,250 metres long, began in January this year with the use of the latest in excavation machinery - the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). The machine meant excavation and lining work was completed almost one month ahead of schedule. The project is the first ever in Laos to use the TBM. "The headrace tunnel is the most difficult part of the project," said Assistant Project Manager Mr Sisouvanh Souvannaphasy at a ceremony to celebrate the breakthrough.

Excavation of the tunnel is not only one of the most expensive parts of the project, but also involves unforeseen critical processes. "It involves expenditure of about 96.1 billion kip (US$12 million)," Mr Sisouvanh said. "Using the TBM, we can save time, money and protect the environment and it's also more secure than using explosives." The TBM allows an average of 21.66 linear metres to be excavated per day.

The completion of the tunnel was the basis for the on-time completion of the rest of the project. Construction of the whole project is now 62 percent complete, after commencing in May last year. "The tunnel is expected to be used to generate energy by July 2012," Mr Sisouvanh said. Currently the installation of high voltage power transmission lines is 67 percent complete, including the construction of an 85km long 230 kilovolt (KV) line that will facilitate the export of electricity to Thailand and a 51km long 115KV line that will be responsible for supplying energy locally.

Building work on the Nam Ngouang and Theun Hinboun powerhouses is now about 57 percent and 40 percent complete respectively. The project is running on schedule, with all work expected to be completed in June 2012. The Theun-Hinboun hydropower plant is located in Borikhamxay province, with the expansion project underway in Khammuan province. The expansion project will add a generating capacity of 280 megawatts (MW) and is due to begin commercial operation in July 2012.The project will cost the Theun-Hinboun Power Company (THPC) around 6.2 trillion kip (US$720 million).

Sixty percent of the company is owned by government shareholders, through Electricité du Laos, while Nordic Hydro (Statkraft) and GMS Lao each hold 20 percent. The expansion project aims to improve the distribution of energy both for local supply and export. It will also increase generator capacity from 220 to 500MW, enabling the plant to produce more than 3,000 million kilowatt hours per year. Upon completion of the project, 440MW of power will be sold to Thailand with the remaining 60MW being sold to EDL for local supply. Currently the plant exports 95 percent of its installed capacity of 220MW, with just 5 percent being put aside for local supply.

THPC was the first independent hydropower company in Laos, beginning in 1995, and has operated successfully since 1998. According to the Energy Promotion and Development Department of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, excluding the mainstream Mekong River, Laos has the potential to generate about 26,500MW from hydropower sources. Currently Laos has 15 power plants with a total installed capacity of more than 2,170MW, according to a report from the ministry's Planning and Statistics Division.

Related banks

BNP Paribas France

active

Related Dodgy Deals

Projects

There are no projects active for this item now.
on record

Theun-Hinboun dam expansion Laos

Hydroelectric Power Generation
Browse
Home
Banks
Dodgy Deals
Map
Campaigns
About
About BankTrack
Donate
Contact BankTrack
Publications
Victories
Follow Us
News
BankTrack blog
Facebook page
Twitter channel
Vismarkt 15
6511 VJ Nijmegen
The Netherlands

Tel: +31 24 324 9220
Contact@banktrack.org
©2016 BankTrack                Webdesign by BankTrack and EASYmind
BankTrack is a registered charity in the Netherlands (ANBI) - RSIN 813874658
Find our privacy policy here

Stay up to date

Sign up now for all BankTrack's news


Make a comment

Your comment will be reviewed, before being posted