Over 200 families to relocate for Pakbaeng dam
Over 200 families in seven villages of Pakbaeng district in Oudomxay province are set to move to higher ground and new sites to make way for construction of the Pakbaeng hydropower project. The dam will be the third to be built on the Mekong River. It is designed as a run-of-river dam and will have a total capacity of 912MW with an average annual power generation of 4.775 GWh. The purpose of the project is to utilise Laos’ abundant hydropower resources and produce power for domestic supply and export. Construction of the Pakbaeng dam is expected to begin at the end of 2018. Prior to that there will be agreement negotiations on the concession details, electricity purchase and socio-economic impact assessment, Head of Office of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Dr Daovong Phonekeo, told Vientiane Times last week during a field visit to the project site.
