The China-Laos 500 kV interconnected power grid project officially goes into operation

The commissioning ceremony for the China-Laos 500 kV interconnected power grid project was held simultaneously on the 20th in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, and in Kunming, Yunnan, China, marking a significant enhancement in both sides’ ability to share and exchange power. More than 100 representatives from government and business sectors of both China and Laos attended the commissioning ceremony held in Vientiane, where Lao Prime Minister Sonexay pressed the project start button.

Meng Zhenping, Chairman and Party Secretary of China Southern Power Grid Company, said in his remarks that after the project goes into operation, it will create a two-way power exchange capacity of 1.5 million kilowatts, with an expected annual delivery of 3 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity. This will help accelerate the green and low-carbon transition of energy and ensure that the achievements in the modernization of power better benefit the people of China and Laos.

Laos’ Minister of Industry and Commerce, Malai Tong, said that after the China-Laos 500 kV interconnected power grid project is commissioned, it will become a major artery in the power sector. It will be a breakthrough in addressing transmission constraints within Laos and will promote the development of renewable energy resources in northern Laos.

Huang Hong, Chinese Ambassador to Laos, said in her remarks that the successful commissioning of the China-Laos interconnected power grid project has built a “green energy main artery” for two-way power sharing. China is willing to use projects of this kind as a model to further deepen practical cooperation with Laos in the new energy sector, help Laos achieve its energy transition, and promote China-Laos friendly cooperation to expand into broader fields, go deeper in terms of engagement, and reach a higher level—injecting sustained momentum into building an even closer China-Laos Community with a Shared Future.

The China-Laos 500 kV interconnected power grid project is a major project included in the China-Laos Community with a Shared Future Action Plan, with construction starting in February 2025. The transmission lines have a total length of 177.5 kilometers, connecting Yunnan Province in China with Udomxay Province and Luang Namtha Province in Laos. Of this, the China section is 145 kilometers and the Laos section is 32.5 kilometers, respectively constructed and operated by China Southern Power Grid Company and Laos’ National Transmission Grid Company. (Xinhua )