Villagers in the Nam Ngiep 1 hydropower project area joined officials and representatives of the
project on Sunday November 16 in Bolikhamxay Province to pray for the safe construction of the
plant.
The Nam Ngiep 1 Power Company (NNP1) organised a spiritual ceremony at the side of the Ngiep
River in Bolikhan District to formally bless the project now that construction is beginning. Also
attending the ceremony were H.E. Soulivong Daravong, the Minister of Energy and Mines,
representatives of shareholders, and officials from the various banks backing the project.
Mr Soulivong said that NNP1 had consulted with people in the area extensively before beginning the
project and had organised the ceremony in line with local beliefs. The Nam Ngiep 1 Project has been
designed according to social and environmental guidelines set by one of the project backers, the
Asian Development Bank (ADB). ADB representatives at the ceremony said that they were confident
Nam Ngiep 1 will make an important example of sustainable hydropower development for Lao PDR
and the region.
Construction of the 290-megawatt Nam Ngiep 1 plant is set to take around four years, with
commercial operation scheduled for January 2019. The project straddles Bolikhamxay and
Xaysomboun provinces.
NNP1 is co-owned by KPIC Netherlands (with 45% of the company shares), a subsidiary of Japan’s
Kansai Electric Power, EGAT International (30%) of Thailand, and the Lao Holding State Enterprise
(25%). The project’s objective is to provide electricity to the Lao national grid and to neighbouring
countries to earn foreign exchange needed for national development.
The villagers at the project area visited the NNP1 construction site on 16 November 2014