Laos will be connected with Vietnam’s national power grid thanks to a project receiving technical and financial support from the World Bank (WB), according to state utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN), the country’s sole power distributor. Australia-based DIgSILENT Pacific, a company designated by the WB, will provide solutions for the best cooperation between the two neighboring countries, EVN said. Viraphonh Viravong, deputy minister of Laotian Ministry of Energy of Mines, said that the connection to the Vietnamese power grid would help Laos have stable power supply to serve its economic development. At a meeting with Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung last week, the Laotian official expected further cooperation in energy sector, especially in power generation and transmission. Mr. Viravong affirmed to facilitate the investment of Vietnamese power companies, especially hydropower producers in Laos to help the country benefit the renewable energy at reasonable prices. According to EVN, Vietnam will invest in 31 hydropower projects with total capacity of 5,000 megawatts in Laos by 2020. (Evn.com.vn July 25)
