Theun-Hinboun Spends on Social Measures
Theun-Hinboun spends on social measures Vientiane Times June 07, 2013
The Theun-Hinboun Power Company (THPC) has allocated around US$5 million in budget funding for its social and environmental programmes.
The programmes include resettlements, livelihood improvement programmes, community development, construction of educational and healthcare facilities, environmental management, according to THPC's Social and Environmental Division Deputy Manager, Ms Surapha Viravong.
Each year, the company spends millions of dollars on livelihood improvement and community development programmes, she said, reflecting its commitment to the people of the local area as well as the natural environment.
Recently, it sponsored tree planting activities in Phousa-at village, Khounkham district, Khammuan province on June 1 to mark Abour Day, as part of its social and environmental programme, aiming to help villagers feel more at home .
Through the activity, the company donated 2,000 saplings of fruit and decorative trees that will help green the village and also provided jackfruit, mango and santol ensuring a healthy diet for villagers and maybe market revenue as well.
The activity will beautify the village, produce fruit for local people and help raise awareness of the importance of trees to the surrounding environment.
Phousa-at is a new village established in 2011 as part of THPC's social and environmental programme. The tree planting ceremony was attended by district officials, local villagers and company staff.
Five villages have been moved to the new site provided by the Theun-Hinboun expansion project, which offers better housing, roads, electricity and water supplies, plus community facilities such as a clinic, school and temple.
Overall, 23 villages downstream of the Theun-Hinboun project are moving to relocation sites in flood-safe areas. As with all newly constructed sites, it takes time for the areas to regain a natural look.
In January this year, the company inaugurated an extension to its power plant, bringing generating capacity to 500MW and making the company the third largest power producer in the country.
The company's Deputy General Manager, Mr Soulideth Baomanikhoth said that this expansion increased not only THPC's contribution to the Lao economy but also its responsibility to both local people and to protecting the environment.
2012 Social Monitoring Report
Results from the 2012 socio-economic survey of villages in the project area are now available - click on the picture to download the report.
Previous monitoring reports and other Socail and Environmental Department documents are avaialble here.
THPC Contribution to Lao Development Rewarded
Vientiane, Wednesday May 29, 2013
Two directors of the Theun-Hinboun Power Company (THPC) have been awarded national medals in acknowledgement of their efforts to promote development in Laos.
On behalf of the government Mr Khambay Damlath the Governor of Khammouane Province, presented the Medal of Development, Second Class, to Mr Robert Kay of GMS Power and Mr Jan Cederwall of Statkraft. Both companies have 20% shareholdings in THPC.
The medals were presented in recognition of the contribution of GMS and Statkraft to development in the Theun-Hinboun area, above and beyond the obligation of the hydropower concession. In addition to funding US$70 million of investment in social and environmental programs under the concession, GMS and Statkraft each donated $1.5 million to fund irrigation projects for five villages in Khammouane.
Mr Khambay said “The donation of $3 million by the THPC shareholders was extra to the important development work being carried out by the hydropower company and shows the commitment of these investments to the people of Laos.”
Robert Kay of GMS (left) and Statkraft's Jan Cederwall (right) with Khammouane Governor Khambay Damlath following the medal ceremony.
New Trees Help Villagers Feel at Home
Residents of Ban Phousaat in Khounkham District, Khammouane, have planted about 2,000 trees around their village to mark National Tree Planting Day. The planting of the trees, donated by the Theun-Hinboun Power Company or THPC, will beautify the village, produce fruit for local people, and help raise awareness of the importance of trees to the environment.
Phousaat is a new village, established in 2011 as part of THPC's Social and Environmental Program. Five villages have moved to this new site, which offers better housing, roads, electricity and water supply, plus community facilities such as a clinic, school and temple. Overall, 23 villages downstream of the Theun-Hinboun project are moving to relocation sites in flood-safe areas.
As with all newly constructed sites, it takes time for the area to regain a natural look. At Phousaat, Khounkham District officials joined the villagers and THPC staff to plant a combination of fruit and decorative trees that will help "green" Ban Phousaat and also provide jackfruit, mango and santol (mak thong), contributing to income-generation and a healthy diet for villagers.
In January this year THPC inaugurated an extension to its power plant, bringing generating capacity to 500 MW and making the company the third largest power producer in the country. Mr Soulideth Baomanikhoth, the company's Deputy General Manager, said this expansion increased not only THPC's contribution to the Lao economy but also its responsibility to both local people and to protecting the environment.
Download Vientiane Times article (English)
Download Pathet Lao article (Lao)
Expansion Project Inauguration
Theun-Hinboun Expansion Switches On
Khounkham, January 11, 2013
The Theun-Hinboun hydropower extension project has been officially inaugurated in Khammouane province, further boosting Laos's electricity output. Deputy Prime Minister Somsavath Lengsavath switched on a new 220-MW turbine at the Theun-Hinboun powerhouse in Khounkham district at a gathering of Lao leaders, project partners, international guests, and staff of the Theun-Hinboun Power Company (THPC).
The expansion project also features a 60-MW turbine at the new dam and reservoir on the Nam Gnouang in nearby Bolikhamxay province, bringing the combined capacity of the original and new THPC powerhouses to 500 MW.
At the opening ceremony Mr Khammany Inthirath, Vice-Minister of Energy and Mines, called the project an example of the country's outstanding success in electricity development. He said the Lao electricity industry has become an important foundation for national socio-economic development, "allowing us to increase production of goods and transform production methods, so actively helping to improve living conditions and reduce poverty for our entire people".
THPC, which has invested US$720 million in the expansion project, is 60% owned by EDL-Generation, with Thailand's GMS Power and Statkraft of Norway each holding 20% of the company. Mr Khammany noted that the company has invested heavily in environmental and social works, contributing to the development of education, public health and community infrastructure in the area around the project.
Mr Christian Rynning-Tönnesen, the CEO of Statkraft, said the project provided Laos with another low-cost, efficient and clean source of power. According to Mr Rynning-Tönnesen the original Theun-Hinboun plant is one of the most reliable hydropower projects in the world, with an availability of almost 99% in normal operation. "In a world facing damaging global warming due to emissions of greenhouse gases, more renewable energy sources in general, and hydropower in particular, are of growing importance in order to fight serious climate change," he said.
Former Thai foreign minister Dr Subin Pinkayan of GMS Power called the expansion a "state-of-the-art project that increases the power potential of the Nam Theun basin". He said that THPC has put itself at the forefront of responsible hydropower planning and practice and described the project as a mutually beneficial alliance between Laos and Thailand, between the public and private sectors, between Eastern and Western nations, and between technical engineers and social and environmental scientists.
• Download PDF version here
• Download PDF of Vientiane Mai inauguration article (Lao language)
• Download Vientiane Times articles
Ceremony Speeches in Lao language
• Mr Khammany Inthirath, THPC Chairman
• Dr Subin Pinkayan, Special Advisor to GMS
• Mr Christian Rynning-Tönnesen, Statkraft CEO
Ceremony Speeches in English
• Mr Khammany Inthirath, THPC Chairman
• Dr Subin Pinkayan, Special Advisor to GMS
• Mr Christian Rynning-Tönnesen, Statkraft CEO
Lao Deputy PM Somsavath Lengsavath prepares to inaugurate
the Theun-Hinboun Expansion Project, flanked by THPC
shareholder representatives and managers.
Photo: THPC/Jim Holmes