Nam Kong 2 Dam Hydropower Info - by Hobo Maps - Go to Hydropower Projects Page - - - HOME
Nam Kong 2 hydropower plant site is located near Lamong village, Phouvong district in Attapeu province, Lao PDR about 40 km south of Attapeu town.
The Nam Kong (river) begins about 72 kilometers upstream from the dam and the project has a water catchment area of about 861 square kilometers.
There are 3 Nam Kong hydropower projects in the same general area of southern Laos. There have been confusing and changing events in the past but as of year 2025 Lao-based Chaleun Sekong Energy Co. Ltd. (CS Energy) is owner and developer of Nam Kong 2&3 projects while Nam Kong 1 was finally developed mainly by Chinese companies and EDL.
Nam Kong 2 Dam images below:
A memorandum of understanding for development of the Nam Kong 2 hydropower project was signed in 2010 between the government of Lao PDR and Hoang Anh Gai Lai Mineral Joint Stock Company of Vietnam but it seems little was actually being done. There seemed to be problems with progress by the Vietnamese developer and in December 2019 Lao-based Chaleun Sekong Energy Co. Ltd. (CS Energy) fully bought up the Nam Kong 2 project and took over construction.
On Dec 2, 2018 Laos and Vietnam entered into an Agreement on the Cooperation and Investment (MOU) for the Nam Kong 2 and 3 projects in Laos and the Nam Y Mun and Na An hydropower projects in Vietnam. Lao-based Chaleun Sekong Company and Vietnam-based Song Da 5 Joint Stock Company were involved.
Caution: Info on the web that was put up while the Vietnamese company was planning the Nam Kong 2 project around year 2010 is no longer relevant and may be misleading. Best to use info put up after Chaleun Sekong Energy took over around 2017 or a bit earlier.
All three Nam Kong Hydropower project site locations are shown in the satellite image below with Nam Kong 2 powerhouse at coordinates - 14°29'52.6"N 106°49'15.5"E (14.497944, 106.820972) .
Nam Kong 2 and 3 Hydropower project site locations seen in older satellite image below.
Nam Kong 2 project site images below:
Nam Kong 2 hydropower project has 3 units of Francis turbines at 22 MW each for a total installed capacity of 66 MW with annual generating capacity of 263 GWh.
Nam Kong 2 concrete gravity dam is 50 meters high, 210 meters long and 8 meters wide. The reservoir surface covers an area of 4.2 square km.
The project has 98 meters of head and a 370 meter penstock with 4.2 meter diameter.
The project was supported by ILF Consulting Co. Ltd. (Austria), Right Tunneling Co, Ltd. (Thailand), Whessoe (Malaysia) and Poyry (Finland) who surveyed, designed, procured materials and equipment, monitored the construction progress and tested the construction to international standards.
Whessoe/KGAL designed, fabricated and installed the steel lining for the two bottom outlet diversion tunnels in the Main Dam and refurbished the outlet gates.
Nam Kong 2 Dam hydropower facility image below:
Nam Kong 2 hydropower project was completed in 2018 and began selling power to Electricite du Lao (EDL) for domestic consumption. On Jan. 4, 2020, CS Energy entered into a Power Purchase Agreement with Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) for sale and export of output to Vietnam. Not sure when the prior sale of output to EDL was reduced or terminated. In May 2023 the new transmission line to Vietnam was completed and energized.
CS Energy is also the owner of Nam Kong 3 hydropower plant and both projects are located in the same area. They apparently will use the new transmission line for export of output from both plants to Vietnam.
Nam Kong 2 hydropower project estimated cost was US$ 142.5 million.
Nam Kong 2 powerhouse images below:
Nam Kong 2 controls below:
Nam Kong 2 powerhouse images below from different times with different gererator colors:
Nam Kong 2 reservoir images below:
Nam Kong 2 intake images below from before full impoundment that seems to allow intake at varying levels.
Nam Kong 2 release below:
Nam Kong 2 embankment dam image below:
Nam Kong 2 switchyard images below:
Nam Kong 2 and Nam Kong 3 hydropower joint substation shown below at coordinates 14°31'47.7"N 106°51'53.2"E (14.529917, 106.864778).
Location of Nam Kong 2 Dam is at lower right area of map below:
Nam Kong 2 project history below from CS Energy website Nov. 2021:
Power Transmission:
The transmission line project connecting Nam Kong 2 & 3 Hydropower Plant Cluster (Laos) to the Vietnamese power system at Bo Y in Ngoc Hoi district, Kon Tum province, Vietnam was completed and energized in May 2023. The Bo Y switching substation includes ten 220 kV bays, five feeder bays and one linking switching bay.
The transmission line project on the Vietnam side is invested by Electricity of Vietnam (EVN). Not sure who constructed and financed the 220 kV transmission line on the Lao side.
Nam Kong 1 hydropower project was finished in June 2021.
Nam Kong 2 hydropower project was completed in 2018 and began selling power to Electricite du Lao (EDL) for domestic consumption at that time. In early 2020, CS Energy entered into a Power Purchase Agreement with Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) for sale and export of output from Nam Kong 2&3 power plants to Vietnam. This requires the EDL purchase contract to be terminated and replaced with the new export contract. Not sure exactly when the sale of output to EDL was terminated.
Nam Kong 3 was finished in November 2023.
Map below shows output transmissions from Nam Kong 1, 2 & 3 hydropower projects. Courtesy of Oliver Royal (University of Texas at Austin).
In 2026 it seems that:
Nam Kong 1 sends its power output to Khang Loum 3 substation located between Sanamxay and Attapeau towns but unsure who eventually takes and pays for the output.
Nam Kong 2 sends its output about 7 km to Nam Kong 2&3 combined substation along 110 kV line for export to Vietnam.
Nam Kong 3 sends its output about 9 km to Nam Kong 2&3 combined substation for export to Vietnam.
Power from these Nam Kong 2&3 projects is sent from Nam Kong 2&3 combined substation about 86 km along 220 kV line to Bo Y substation about 6 km inside Vietnam near the Bo Y border gate.
The chart below shows power transmissions from Nam Kong 2&3 plants before the Nam Kong 2&3 combined substation was planned and needs to be adjusted.
