ADB grants Laos 20 mln USD for building power transmission facilities

Feb 25, 2010 - Xinhua

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will grant 20 million U.S. dollars to Laos to help the country build power transmission facilities in the northern part, Lao newspaper the Vientiane Times reported Thursday.

An agreement for the grant was signed by Lao Deputy Minister of Finance Viengthong Siphandone and the ADB Country Director in Laos Gil Hong Kim in Lao capital city of Vientiane on Wednesday.

The facilities will enable Laos to export energy to neighboring countries and provide electricity in areas that currently import electricity or use generators, said the newspaper.

Under the agreement, the money will be used to build nearly 400 kilometers of 115 kilovolt transmission lines and substations in the country's Xayaboury and Phongsaly provinces and capital city of Vientiane.

The extension of power transmission lines will enable providers to supply electricity to remote areas as well as export energy to neighboring countries, the newspaper quoted Viengthong as saying.

The ADB country director in Laos said the power transmission facilities will significantly improve the livelihoods and productivity of poor villagers in Laos' northern areas, according to the newspaper.