During a National Energy and Mining Sector Meeting in Vientiane Capital in 2022, the Ministry of Energy and Mines revealed that Laos is currently capable of generating more than 1 MW around the country.
The total installed energy capacity of the now 94 power plants in Laos is a total of 11,664.14 MW, the Ministry of Energy and Mines reported. This means that Laos can generate 58,813 Gigawatts of energy per year.
Former Minister of Energy and Mines, Dr. Daovong Phonekeo, proposed during the meeting that the ministry has succeeded in developing the electric power and mining industry in the span of one year.
He also mentioned that the development has resulted in countless direct and indirect benefits: job creation; the construction of roads, schools, hospitals, health centers, markets, and temples; and the instillation clean water supplies.
According to Dr. Daovong, the success also brought in a production value of LAK 66.6 billion (about USD 4 million) – a substantial increase of 53 percent in comparison to the same period in 2021.
The former minister went on to highlight that the ministry’s primary objective in 2022 was to provide permanent access to energy to 95 percent of all Lao households by the end of the year.
Across the country, there are currently 84 stations generating energy using 500kW, 230kW, and 115kW transmission lines, as well as medium and low voltage power networks that form the backbone of electricity transmission spanning a distance of more than 67,000 kilometers.
