China daily/ANN: Chinese enterprises have been playing an increasingly important role in enhancing the Lao people’s livelihood.

Nam Ou river is one of the key hydropower resource bases that the Lao government is pushing forward to explore. PowerChina is developing a full basin cascade hydropower project at that site.

As of August this year, the first phase of the project had been put into operation and had delivered more than three billion kWh of electricity to northern Laos. The second phase of the project is expected to be completed by 2020 and will guarantee 12 per cent of the electricity supply in Laos.

Bounpong Ketsadasak, who works as a deputy general manager in charge of Power-China’s Nam Ou phase one project, said Laos’ strategy of “Battery of Southeast Asia” goes well with the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, and Nam Ou cascade hydropower project is a great achievement of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Lao deputy prime minister Bounthong Chitmany spoke highly of the construction and operation of the Nam Ou cascade hydropower project and its contribution to local economic and social development.