VIENTIANE: Laos transmitted a record amount of electricity to Vietnam in the first quarter of 2026, driven by new renewable energy projects and stronger cross-border transmission links.
Vietnam Electricity reported that imports from Laos soared to 2.92 billion kWh in the first three months of this year, equal to 3.8 percent of total output, according to Vietnam’s Tuoi Tre News.
The figure marks an increase of nearly 120 per cent from the 1.33 billion kWh transmitted to Vietnam in the same period in 2025.
The Vietnamese power company said more electricity was generated from new renewable energy projects in Laos that came into operation in 2025, along with upgraded transmission lines along the Laos-Vietnam border.
By the end of 2025, Vietnam’s Prime Minister and the Ministry of Industry and Trade had approved the import of electricity from 47 projects in Laos, with total capacity of 8,260MW.
Of these, projects already supplying power had a combined capacity of 2,379MW last year, up from 1,700MW in 2024.
Among new developments, the first phase of the Savan 1 wind farm became operational in late December 2025. The plant is expected to supply about 0.9 billion kWh a year to Vietnam’s national grid, with integration above 90 percent.
The wind farm was built by Savan 1 Wind Power Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the T&T Group, a major private company based in Vietnam.
Transmission capacity has also improved. The 220kV Tuong Duong–Do Luong line, developed by the National Power Transmission Corporation, stretches nearly 81 kilometres and came into operation in November 2025. It helps deliver hydropower from Laos to Nghe An province and the wider grid.
Under a cooperation plan for 2016-2025, Vietnam aimed to import 3,000MW of electricity from Laos. This is set to rise to 5,000MW by 2030 under its Power Development Plan VIII.
By 2050, imports could reach about 11,000MW, producing an estimated 37 billion kWh each year.
In a separate development, Laos continues to expand its clean energy capacity. The China General Nuclear Power Group recently began operation of a 1,000MW solar power plant in Oudomxay province, the largest single-site solar project in South-East Asia.
The first phase of the Northern Laos Clean Energy Connection Base, located in Xay and Namor districts, was connected to the grid on April 7. Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone joined Lao and Chinese officials at a ceremony in Vientiane to mark the start of commercial operations.
The solar farm is expected to produce about 1.65 billion kWh of electricity each year and cut carbon dioxide emissions by around 1.3 million tonnes annually.
Cross-border transmission has also strengthened. On April 20, Laos and China officially opened a 500kV power line, boosting electricity trade and supporting clean energy growth.
The new line increases power exchange capacity from 50MW to 1,500MW and is expected to transmit about 3 billion kWh of electricity each year, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 2.5 million tonnes. - Vientiane Times/ANN
