Lao People's Democratic Republic

The information should give contextual information that can be used as further proof for policy-making at domestic and global level. Chicken, HPAI and livelihood in the Lao People's Democratic Republic - A review.

Novelties & Feature

It is the first ODA lending to Laos since March 2005. Laos produced 8,449 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of hydro-electricity in 2010 from its rich reservoir. Longterm electricity purchase contracts have resulted in 79% of the electricity produced being shipped to neighbouring states, in particular Thailand, making hydro-electricity production one of the most important external income streams in Laos.

Electricity import has also grown due to the growth in internal consumer spending and inadequate grids for electricity supply and electricity supply. Indeed, in Laos, domestic electricity demands have tripled in the last ten years and are expected to increase further, fuelled by electricity consumed by the coal industry and the processing industry as well as by private use.

A Special Economic Zone (SEZ) has been established in the South Savannakhet region, where the East-West economic corridor links Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. However, the Savannakhet region has a permanent lack of electric energy and is facing an increase in demand for it. This could lead to a possible interruption of the energy supplies in the fuutur.

A number of energy develoment plans are also underway in the South Saravan region and the area is likely to increase its production throughput. It is therefore imperative to establish a system of communication linking the area in the event of a blackout and the area with excess electricity.

It is aimed at interconnecting the two grids in the Laos South ('Savannakhet' and'Saravan' provinces) and improving the electricity security in and around Savannakhet provinces through the provision of 200 km of 115 kilovolt electricity transport links and associated installations. The JICA has already assisted in the 300 km of 115 kilovolt line infrastructure between the main area ( "Bolikhamxay" province) and the south ( "Savannakhet" province) and its associated institutions through the "Greater Mekong Solar Energy Network Development Projekt (Lao PDR)" (a contract of credit dated March 2005).

At the same time, Japan's ODA continues to support the extension of the grid in the south of the province and is responsible for the construction of most of the electricity grids in Laos. Investment by non-German companies, as well as those of Japan, continues to increase in the region, mainly due to the evolution of SED along the East-West economic corridor and the growing coal industry.

By 2011, 26 companies have already invested in the Savannakhet region (3 of the 26 companies are Japanese). The aim of the programme is to improve the business environment and promote industry in Laos.