Founded to help satisfy increasing power demand in mainland Southeast Asia, THPC has expanded its generation capacity as demand continues to grow. THPC currently offers its customers a combination of a run-of-the-river dam fed by a reservoir dam, with two separate powerhouses. This unique set up allows THPC to optimize the energy potential of water resources in the project area and to provide high reliability and availability of electricity supply.

With the expansion project completed, and following a major overhaul, THPC has a generation capacity of 520 MW, making it the fourth largest hydropower producer in Laos to date. In 2015 THPC generated around a fifth of all electricity produced in Laos and also over 20% of national power exports. The company's ability to supply much of that power year-round makes it even more valuable in the local context, as many Lao plants run at greatly reduced capacity in the dry season. The production of 60 MW of power year round for local supply in central Laos gives a great boost to the economic potential of Bolikhamxay and Khammouane provinces. THPC sells all of its electricity to two customers: Electricité du Laos (EDL) and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT).

Hydropower Features

Hydropower can provide clean renewable energy that allows electricity grid operators to substantially improve the efficiency of their networks. The ability of reservoir-based hydropower facilities to offer storage of fuel (i.e. the water) and immediate response to power requirements means that fuel and power savings can be achieved across whole grids. Hydro facilities have a much longer life span than conventional thermal power plants, feature a far higher ratio of conversion of force to electrical energy, and produce no chemical or waste heat pollution. A hydropower installation such as that at Theun-Hinboun also provides greater reliability than is generally found at most other renewable energy sources.

Like all large infrastructure projects, hydropower installations involve environmental and social trade-offs. Large areas of land are required and water sources are diverted, meaning that rapid changes are experienced in the project area and immediately downstream. THPC is dedicated to mitigating the consequences of these changes and invests heavily in social and environmental programs to improve the lives of local people and to protect biodiversity.