VIENTIANE, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Lao government has agreed to conduct a feasibility study on electricity trading and hydropower exchanges with neighboring countries to boost cooperation in the energy sector, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Wednesday.
Laos has agreed to sell 5,000 MW of electricity to Vietnam, while it is currently exporting just over 300 MW and is expected to supply 1,000 MW by 2020, Lao Minister for Energy and Mines, Khammany Inthirath, reported at the opening of the energy and mining sector's first quarter meeting on Monday.
"Both countries are hoping to increase Lao electricity exports to Vietnam to 3,000 MW by 2025 and to more than 5,000 MW by 2030," he said.
The Lao government is currently conducting negotiations on electricity trading with Vietnam and expects to sign an agreement soon, Khammany said.
Khammany said that Laos has agreed to sell 9,000 MW of electricity to Thailand, which currently stands at 4,260 MW, but will increase to 7,000 MW by 2020 and 9,000 MW by 2025. Laos has also agreed to sign electricity trading pacts for four projects with Thailand, of which 2,357 MW of installed capacity is expected to sell by the end of this year. Laos has improved the price for electricity trading and increased electricity exports to Thailand, Khammany said.
Laos, Thailand and Malaysia have partnered to study the increase in capacity to 300 MW for electricity provided to Malaysia.
Laos currently supplies electricity via a 115 kV transmission line and is considering increasing its capacity to sell power via 230 kV and 500 kV transmission lines.
