EdL Rural Electrification

completed

Electricite Du Laos (“EDL” or the “Company”) is the utility company owning and operating the transmission and distribution system in the country as well as the existing hydropower plants (except for Nan Theun 2). EDL was corporatized in 1986, remaining wholly owned by the Government of Lao PDR (“GoL”). Rapid expansion of rural electrification is one of the key priorities of the GoL for the power sector. GoL has been implementing the Rural Electrification Program with support from the World Bank. Under REP phase-I (REP-I), the EDL investment aims to provide electrification to about 42,000 households in 540 villages of the central and southern provinces (Khammouane, Savanakhet, Champasack, Saravan, Sekong, and Attapeu) during 2006-2010. The subprojects (survey, design, construction, and installation) have been carried out by the Electricity Construction and Installation (ECI), a state owned enterprise, through an existing contract between EDL and ECI. ECI also has their own branch offices in the provinces to carry out the tasks. REP-II involves extension/expansion of grid services to about 27,000 households in some 582 villages (78 subprojects) in the central and southern target provinces. Main activities will be similar to those implemented under REP-I i.e. construction of 22 kV transmission line and 0.4 kV distribution lines, including construction of towers, pole, and/or small substations. The implementation arrangement will also be similar to that of the REP-I. Maximum requirement for the right of way of 22 kV is 8 meters. IFC proposes to finance grid extension project (“Project”), which will be similar in nature and scale to the REP I & II grid extension projects. The activities involved in IFC financed sub projects (as in case of REP I & II sub projects) would include erection of 8-14 m concrete poles for the low-medium voltage line (0.4-22 kV) of which about one sixth will be buried underground. Poles will generally be spaced at a frequency of about 40 poles/km along existing roads and within the existing right of ways. Step down voltage transformer will be supported on the same poles. Small amount of land may be required for some poles and/or small substations, that have to be located outside existing right of way of roads.