Vientiane – Isolated, under-developed Laos brands itself the “Battery of Southeast Asia,“ powering its neighbors with dozens of hydroelectric plants, but frequent power outages leave its own people in the dark. Exports of electricity to neighboring countries including Thailand and Vietnam are a key source of revenue for the landlocked nation, designated as a least developed country by the United Nations. But most of the power generated leaves the country and, combined with an aging grid, that results in frequent outages and sometimes having to import electricity to meet demand.
When the power cuts out after dark in Vientiane, families wander outside to avoid the stifling heat indoors, using cell phones to light their way. At one of the two main public hospitals, a doctor in the pediatrics emergency department is used to watching medical equipment suddenly shut down until the generators kick in. Elsewhere in the city, a front-desk staffer at a health clinic said power outages occurred two to three times a week, usually announced beforehand.
Without a generator, “we have to reconnect the electricity from a store next to us,“ said the staffer, who also requested anonymity in a one-party communist state where authorities do not tolerate dissent. When the power is restored, the cry rings out across the city: “It’s back!” Laos exported around two-thirds of its total generated electricity in 2023, according to the World Bank, but experts say that figure is now even higher. One former technical expert at state utility Electricite du Laos (EDL) put the figure at around 80%.
In the decade to 2024, annual electricity exports more than tripled, from 12 terawatt-hours (TWh) to 38 TWh, according to official data — enough to power Paris for a year and a half. In 2023, they brought in $2.65 billion, according to the government, often sold in deals struck by the state with businesses that invest in Laos’ infrastructure. In Vientiane, a power line once used for one household now covers whole apartment blocks with many units, straining old transformers.
In rural areas, if a tree falls onto the power lines, it can cause a blackout for one village, sometimes several, because there is no backup. Bounchan Manochit, a shop owner in northern Luang Prabang province, said that with no lights, wild animals may enter residents’ homes at night. But EDL, charged with maintaining the grid, is tackling large debts incurred during the expansion and due to consumer subsidies.
With hydropower accounting for 80% of production as of 2024, supply dwindles in the dry season from March to August. At times, Laos has struggled to provide power to its neighbors and finds itself importing energy, at significant cost, according to a recent World Bank report. Laos’ main export market is Thailand, but it is diversifying its client and energy mix.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
