Latest news with #MonsoonWindProject
The Star
20-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Laos wind farm to begin full operation in late August, says Sekong's Deputy Governor
The 600MW Monsoon Wind Power Project, the first wind farm in Laos and the largest in South-East Asia, is located in Sekong and Attapeu provinces. - Photo: VIENTIANE (Laotian Times): Commercial operations of the Monsoon Wind Project, Laos's first and South-East Asia's largest onshore wind farm, is expected to begin by late August or early September. Deputy Governor of Sekong Province, Khanti Seelavongsa, announced the timeline during a provincial council meeting on 15 July. Currently operating at half capacity with 300 megawatts, the 600-megawatt wind farm, valued at approximately USD 950 million, spans 70,800 hectares across of Sekong's Dak Cheung district and Attapeu's Sanxay district in southern Laos. Positioned at elevations between 1,100 and 1,700 meters above sea level, it stands as the first cross-border wind project in the ASEAN region The project consists of 133 onshore turbines, each generating 4.51 megawatts. Electricity generated by the project will be exported to Vietnam via a 500-kilovolt transmission line stretching 65 kilometers, 22 km in Laos and 43 km in Vietnam. This is supported by a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with Vietnam Electricity (EVN). The project began in 2011 with a memorandum of understanding between the government of Laos and the International Energy Agency to develop large-scale wind farms. Following extensive feasibility studies, the Dak Cheung and Sanxay districts were identified as optimal locations in 2015. Later in September 2019, the Vietnamese government approved the wind project, saying it could safely connect to the power grid in Vietnam. Construction began in April 2023, and in the same year, the first wind turbine was put up in October. By 19 May 2025, all turbines were installed, according to ACEN Renewables International, a renewable energy company that owns part of the project. The Monsoon Wind Project is now part of Sekong Province's growing energy network, along with two other hydropower dams, Nam Emoun and Houay La Ngae. - Laotian Times
United News of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- United News of India
Laos set to power up Southeast Asia's largest wind farm
Vientiane, May 22 (UNI) Laos is preparing to switch on Southeast Asia's largest wind farm by the end of the year, with all 133 turbines at the Monsoon Wind Project now fully installed, signalling a significant step in the country's renewable energy ambitions and wider economic strategy. The 600-megawatt project, valued at $930 million, is located across 68,000 hectares in the southern provinces of Sekong and Attapeu. Once operational, it will supply electricity to neighbouring Vietnam under a 25-year power purchase agreement with state utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN), transmitted via a dedicated 500-kilovolt cross-border line, reports Laotian Times. As the region's first transnational wind power scheme, the project reflects a growing trend of cross-border energy cooperation in Southeast Asia. For Laos, it also represents a diversification of its energy exports, which are currently dominated by hydropower — an industry increasingly vulnerable to seasonal variability and environmental concerns. Developed by Impact Energy Asia Development Co., Ltd., the project has been over a decade in the making. An initial memorandum of understanding was signed with the Lao government in 2011, with development formally advancing in 2022 following the concession agreement. The project is now being delivered under the Monsoon Wind Power Company Limited joint venture. Turbine installation was completed on May 19, according to ACEN, the renewables platform of the Philippines' Ayala Group, which holds a 25% economic stake in the venture. Construction began in March 2023, and the project's turbines — with tower heights of 110 and 140 metres — were positioned based on eight years of wind data gathered from 2015 to 2023. The Monsoon Wind Project is expected to play a key role in Laos's strategy to become the "battery of Southeast Asia", a long-standing national policy aimed at turning the country's natural resources and geographical position into an energy export engine. However, the heavy focus on large-scale hydropower has drawn criticism for its environmental and social impact, particularly on river ecosystems and local communities. Wind power offers a cleaner and more seasonally stable complement to Laos's hydro output. While the electricity will initially be exported, the expansion of such infrastructure could lay the groundwork for future domestic supply, particularly as demand grows and energy access becomes a greater priority. For Laos, one of the region's least developed economies, the project brings not only foreign investment but also the potential for technology transfer, employment, and longer-term regional integration. Its success may shape how the country balances energy export revenue with domestic development, and whether wind can scale up to become a more prominent part of the nation's future energy mix.
