Thai power plant wins Laos concession

BANGKOK, October 23 (TNA) - Sepien-Senamnoi Power Co., Ltd., 25 per cent of its shares held by Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Public Co., Ltd., has signed a 27-year contract with the Lao government in developing a hydroelectric power plant in the southern Lao province of Champasak, said Noppol Milinthanggoon, managing director of Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Plc. Under the contract signed recently, the Sepien-Senamnoi hydroelectric power plant will be developed and operate commercially in 2018. A power purchase agreement is expected to be signed with the Electricity Generating of Authority of Thailand later this year, said Noppol. Most of the power produced will be sold to Thailand. Construction costs of the hydroelectric power plant are about 32 billion baht of which Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Pcl. would invest about 2.4 billion baht, he said. Construction is expected to start in 2013 and takes about five years to complete. The plant’s capacity is 410 megawatts and will be located in Champasak’s Attapu district. Besides Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding Plc, SK Engineering and Construction, Korea Western Power and Lao Holding State Enterprise also hold shares in the venture. (TNA)