Nam Kong 3 Dam Hydropower

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Nam Kong 3 Hydropower Project is being constructed on the Nam Kong (river) which is a branch of the Xekong (SeKong) (river) that eventually merges with the Mekong.. The project is in PhuVong District, Attapeau Province, southern Lao PDR.

All three Nam Kong Hydropower project site locations are shown in the satellite image below.

Nam Kong 3 is near coordinates 14°34'22.8"N 106°54'32.4"E (14.573, 106.909).

Nam Kong 3 project layout images below.

Nam Kong 3 Powerhouse site image below under construction.

Nam Kong 3 Dam and Reservoir images below:

A memorandum of understanding for development of the Nam Kong 3 hydropower project was signed in 2009 between the government of Lao PDR and Hoang Anh Gai Lai Mineral Joint Stock Company of Vietnam.

There was also a construction contract signed November 2017 for the project with China Gezhouba Group Co. as contractor.

There seemed to be problems with progress by the developer and in December 2019 Lao-based Chaleun Sekong Energy Co. Ltd. (CS Energy) fully bought up Hoang Anh Gia Lai Hydro Power JSC which was a subsidiary of Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAGL) that was developing the Nam Kong 3 project.

CS Energy became the full owner and took over the project construction along with Poyry as the engineering services contractor.

China Gezhouba Group Co. remained as main contractor after the ownership change in 2019 and in November 2023 delivered the finished project to the new owner CS Energy. The project may have a COD date sometime in 2024?

Nam Kong 3 Hydro Power Project has a 60 meter high Roller-Compacted Concrete dam with a gated spillway and a river diversion bottom outlet in the dam structure.

The project benefits from head of 96 meters.

The surface powerhouse has three compact vertical axis Francis turbines of 18 MW each for a combined capacity of 54 MW. Annual output may reach 204 GWh.

Impounding of water in the reservoir began in November 2020.

Nam Kong 3 Hydropower Project dam is 65 meters high and 486 meters in length.

The reservoir has storage capacity of 471 million cubic meters while active capacity is 430 million cubic meters.

Nam Kong 3 hydropower project includes a dam, spillway, plunge pool, headrace tunnel, power house, tailrace channel, switchyard and a new 115 kV transmission line.

On Dec 2, 2018 Laos and Vietnam entered into an Agreement on the Cooperation and Investment (MOU) for the Nam Kong 2, Nam Kong 3, Nam Y Mun and Na An hydropower projects between Chaleun Sekong Company and Song Da 5 Joint Stock Company.

In early 2020, CS Energy entered into a Power Purchase Agreement with Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) for purchase and export of all power output from Nam Kong 3 to Vietnam.

Nam Kong 3 hatistics below

Normal reservoir operating surface level elevation is estimated at 528 meters above sea level.

The project embraced multi-cultural participation in the form of Poyry Energy Limited as owner’s engineer, China Ghezuba Group Company as civil contractor, Whessoe as hydro-mechanical contractor, and ANDRITZ as the contractor for the entire electro-mechanical equipment.

The water intake structure for the headrace waterway is at a different location on the reservoir to minimize the length of the waterway. The intake consists of a headrace tunnel part concrete-lined and part steel-lined.

The Nam Kong 3 Project will not only to generate electricity from its own powerhouse, but will also help the Nam Kong 2 Hydropower Plant to increase its energy production by 30 percent.

CSE currently has a 27-year concession period for the project.

Nam Kong 3 Dam intake structure image below:

Nam Kong 3 Hydropower Project site images below:

Nam Kong 3 switchyard image below:

Nam Kong 3 reservoir images below:

Nam Kong 3 controls below:

Nam Kong 3 plant and turbine-generator set below:

Nam Kong 3 spiral case below:

The underground works on Nam Kong 3 include a diversion tunnel and a 470 meter long headrace tunnel.

Nam Kong 3 Dam is located at lower area of map below:

Nam Kong 2 and Nam Kong 3 hydropower joint substation map below.

Nam Kong 2 and Nam Kong 3 hydropower site locations below from older satellite image:

History of Nam Kong 3 Hydropower Project below from CS Energy website Nov. 2021:

Signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Government of the Lao PDR in August 2009
Project Development Agreement (PDA) was signed in June 2016
The Feasibility study of the project was approved in October 2017
Completed the report of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment in November 2017
Completed the Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plans in December 2017
Completed the Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plans-construction Phase in December 2020
Completed the preparation of biomass removal plans and approved the plans for December 2021
Signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) on January 04, 2020
Signed a concession agreement with the Government of Lao PDR on September 2016 and completed the amendment of the concession agreement in June 2019

In 2010 Feasibility Study completed
In 2015 Basic Design of the project completed
In 2016, the project was handed over to Chaleun Sekong Energy Co., Ltd. (CS Energy)
In 2017 A Feasibility Study and Tender Design by Poyry
In 2018 Construction was started by China Gezhouba Group Co. with consulting by Poyry
In 2021, Construction by China Gezhouba Group Co. will be completed and the generator installed by Andritz.

Power Transmission: The project connecting Nam Kong 1, 2, 3 Hydropower Plant Cluster (Laos) to the Vietnamese power system was constructed in Ngoc Hoi district, Kon Tum province, Vietnam. The project is expected to be completed and energized in 2023. The switching substation includes ten 220kV bays, five feeder bays and one linking switching bay. The project is invested by Vietnam Electricity.

Maps below show 220 kV route for export of power to Vietnam.