Northern Cross-Border Power Trade and Distribution Project (ADB-51329-001)

Countries
  • Laos
Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.
Specific Location
Luang Namtha, Bokeo, and Phongsaly
Whenever identified, the area within countries where the impacts of the investment may be experienced. Exact locations of projects may not be identified fully or at all in project documents. Please review updated project documents and community-led assessments.
Financial Institutions
  • Asian Development Bank (ADB)
International, regional and national development finance institutions. Many of these banks have a public interest mission, such as poverty reduction.
Project Status
Proposed
Stage of the project cycle. Stages vary by development bank and can include: pending, approval, implementation, and closed or completed.
Bank Risk Rating
U
Environmental and social categorization assessed by the development bank as a measure of the planned project’s environmental and social impacts. A higher risk rating may require more due diligence to limit or avoid harm to people and the environment. For example, "A" or "B" are risk categories where "A" represents the highest amount of risk. Results will include projects that specifically recorded a rating, all other projects are marked ‘U’ for "Undisclosed."
Borrower
Lao People's Democratic Republic
A public entity (government or state-owned) provided with funds or financial support to manage and/or implement a project.
Sectors
  • Energy
  • Infrastructure
The service or industry focus of the investment. A project can have several sectors.
Investment Type(s)
Grant, Loan
The categories of the bank investment: loan, grant, guarantee, technical assistance, advisory services, equity and fund.
Investment Amount (USD)
$ 27.40 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Loan Amount (USD)
$ 24.40 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Grant Amount (USD)
$ 3.00 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Project Cost (USD)
$ 27.40 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Bank Documents
Primary Source

Original disclosure @ ADB website

Updated in EWS Jul 21, 2020

Disclosed by Bank Mar 22, 2018

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Project Description
If provided by the financial institution, the Early Warning System Team writes a short summary describing the purported development objective of the project and project components. Review the complete project documentation for a detailed description.

The proposed Northern Cross-Border Power Trade and Distribution Project aims to promote regional power exchange in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and expand access to energy in several northern provinces in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR).

According to the bank document, the project will help address Lao PDR's need to:

(i) expand access to low-cost, reliable power in rural areas; and

(ii) develop power interconnections between Lao PDR, Thailand, and Myanmar to increase power trade.

The project aims to support the national electric utility, Electricite du Laos (EDL) to:

(i) expand distribution lines and provide off-grid alternatives in the provinces of Luang Namtha, Bokeo and Phongsaly;

(ii) provide at least 8,000 household electricity meters for newly-connected customers; and

(iii) construct one or more high-voltage transmission line(s) connecting northern Lao PDR with Mae Chan, Thailand and/or Shan State, Myanmar.

The project builds on lessons learned from the GMS Northern Power Transmission Project and previous regional transmission supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The project is adopted in the country operations business plan, 2018- 2020 and the GMS Regional Investment Framework 2022.

Investment Description
Here you can find a list of individual development financial institutions that finance the project.

Grant US$   3.00 million

Loan  US$ 24.40 million


Contact Information
This section aims to support the local communities and local CSO to get to know which stakeholders are involved in a project with their roles and responsibilities. If available, there may be a complaint office for the respective bank which operates independently to receive and determine violations in policy and practice. Independent Accountability Mechanisms receive and respond to complaints. Most Independent Accountability Mechanisms offer two functions for addressing complaints: dispute resolution and compliance review.

Executing Agencies

Electricite du Laos
Samsenethai Road, P.O. Box 309
Vientiane
Lao People's Democratic Republic

*There is no further information disclosed at this stage of the project*

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF ADB

The Accountability Mechanism is an independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by an Asian Development Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Accountability Mechanism, they may investigate to assess whether the Asian Development Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can learn more about the Accountability Mechanism and how to file a complaint at: http://www.adb.org/site/accountability-mechanism/main

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