Laos has strengths in energy while its population is small. Therefore, for many years, the country has accelerated the construction of energy production infrastructure, especially recently, the production of external energy to meet domestic consumption demand is oriented for export to increase budget revenue.

Lao Minister of Energy and Mines Daovong Phonekeo recently mentioned Laos' Power Development Plan for the period of 2021 - 2030 and the 9th Energy - Mines Development Plan (2021 - 2025), said that from the year 2021. 1970 to 2020, the development of power plants in Laos increased by 17% per year; As of the end of 2020, Laos has 82 factories with a capacity of 10,091 MW, of which hydropower plants account for 80.41%, thermal power plants account for 18.61% and 72% of electricity output is used for export. password. In the structure of electricity production to meet domestic consumption, hydroelectricity accounts for 91.49%, followed by solar power with 5.34% and thermal power with 3.17%.

A part of Xekaman 1 hydroelectric power plant invested by Vietnam in Attapeu province, southern Laos

In the 9th Energy - Mine Development Plan of Laos, the development of energy is identified as a priority, mining is important, and quality growth follows the goal of green and sustainable development. The Laos government has set 12 targets, 85 key jobs and implemented 113 energy-mine development projects, of which the target of electricity production is to increase by 79%, and the mining sector to pay the state budget by 8%. compared with the period 2016 - 2020. The plan also shows that Laos is facing many challenges in terms of the domestic power transmission system and power transmission system for direct export of private power generation plants and need to continue looking for suitable solutions.

Also according to the plan, the power plants in the plan for the period 2021-2025 are estimated to be able to produce 276,096 billion kWh with a total value of LAK 140,879 billion (Laos kip), an increase of 79% compared to the 2016-2020 period. In order to develop the power sector infrastructure, the Lao Ministry of Energy and Mines is cooperating with both public and private investments, especially cooperating with foreign countries in the construction of hydroelectricity and solar power generation facilities, towards production for export.

In order to ensure national energy security, Laos also expands the electricity transmission network to rural, remote and isolated areas in order to focus on developing the power transmission network infrastructure in the three provinces with high rates of electricity transmission. The lowest electricity usage rates in the country are Houaphanh, Sekong and Attapeu provinces, and at the same time pay attention to expanding the transmission network to remote and isolated areas so that by 2025, 98% of Laos people will have access to electricity.