Private firm launches $450mn Laos wind farm to supply power to northern Vietnam

The company, headquartered in An Giang Province, southern Vietnam, has recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Committee for Investment Promotion and Management under the Lao government to begin developing the 300MW wind farm.

The project will span about 17,920 hectares in Xieng Khouang’s Nong Het District, a highland area known for strong natural wind corridors considered suitable for industrial-scale wind power generation.

The site lies along Laos’ eastern border, adjacent to Ky Son Commune in Nghe An Province, north-central Vietnam.

Nong Het’s central area is about 15–20 kilometers by road from Nam Can International Border Gate in Ky Son, providing favorable conditions for equipment transport, construction, and cross-border electricity transmission.

Electricity demand in northern Vietnam has been rising rapidly, especially during the annual dry season from April to July, when supply shortages are a recurring concern.

Power consumption is forecast to grow about 10–13 percent annually, while hydropower output remains highly dependent on weather patterns and reservoir water levels.

Connecting wind-generated electricity from northern Laos to Vietnam’s grid in Nghe An and Thanh Hoa Provinces is expected to provide a stable supply of clean energy to meet domestic demand.

Beyond power generation, Sao Mai Group also plans to develop a ‘wind tourism ecosystem’ in Xieng Khouang.

Drawing on its experience operating the An Hao solar farm tourist area in An Giang, the company aims to turn wind farms into distinctive landscape attractions that support the local tourism economy.

The project is expected to create hundreds of jobs for local workers and contribute to social development and education funds in Xieng Khouang.

Survey and development activities will follow strict environmental standards to protect watershed forests and local agricultural land, the company said.

The investment is seen as strengthening the presence of Vietnamese enterprises in the regional renewable energy sector while further reinforcing the longstanding cooperative ties between Vietnam and Laos.