Photo 1. Group photo of the High-Level Consultative Meeting with MOIC Lao PDR.

The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) successfully conducted two high-level consultative meetings on 12–13 August in Vientiane, with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) and Électricité du Laos (EDL). Led by ACE’s Executive Director, Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood, ACE and the HAPUA Secretariat met with representatives of MOIC and EDL at their respective headquarters, following the recent restructuring of Lao PDR’s Ministry of Energy and Mines.

The first high-level consultative meeting was held with MOIC on 12 August 2025, with the purpose of fostering country-level alignment and identifying potential cross-border interconnections for feasibility studies, supported by multiple partners. Dato’ Razib conveyed the confirmed funding support from the World Bank (WB), the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), to advance feasibility study development for ASEAN Power Grid (APG) interconnection projects.

Led by Dr Santisouk Phimphachanh, Director General of the Policy, Planning and Evaluation Department of MOIC, the meeting welcomed ACE’s and partners’ support in ensuring that the implementation of APG interconnections are on track. Dato’ Razib acknowledged Lao PDR’s need to assess and identify potential interconnection projects which could unlock greater power exchange and strengthen energy supply within the northern sub-region. Topics related to capacity building on grid technologies, grid capacity strengthening, and financing facility for APG interconnections came up as the key discussions of the high-level consultative meeting.

Photo 2. Dr Santisouk Phimphachanh handing the Statistical Yearbook for Energy and Mines 2024 to Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood (left); Dr Santisouk Phimphachanh presenting the Lao PDR National Energy Strategy 2021–2030 (right).

To that end, ACE confirmed its commitment to continuous collaboration with MOIC to support the effective implementation of APG-related projects in Lao PDR. Future cooperation will include technical assistance, and knowledge and data sharing to facilitate Lao PDR’s initiatives. This joint effort is intended to advance regional energy connectivity while at the same time enhancing Lao PDR’s infrastructure and human capital.

Closing the meeting, Dr Santisouk Phimphachanh presented Dato’ Razib with the Statistical Yearbook for Energy and Mines 2024, an annual publication by the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) providing general information and data on Lao PDR’s energy landscape. As a way forward, ACE received the mandate from MOIC to support the feasibility studies on the priority Lao PDR interconnection projects by making use of the assistance from development partners. Undertaking the role of catalyst, the mandate emphasised ACE’s role as a regional facilitator for the development of APG, further underscoring the operationalisation of the Enhanced APG MoU.

Photo 3. Group photo of the High-Level Consultative Meeting with Électricité du Laos (EDL).

Following the high-level consultative meeting with MOIC Lao PDR, ACE visited EDL’s headquarters to conduct a high-level consultative meeting with participation from the managers and representatives of the International Cooperation, Transmission, Power Purchase Agreement, and Power System Control Departments. This meeting convened Dr Akomdeth Vongsay, Managing Director of EDL, accompanied by Souksakhone Philavanh – Assistant Managing Director of EDL – and representatives, to discuss the secured support granted by development partners for the feasibility studies of APG interconnection projects in Lao PDR. The discussion aims to prepare the steps towards advanced APG infrastructure development by assessing the needs and priorities of the country’s power system. Enhancing the domestic grid and cross-border interconnection with neighbouring countries through the development of feasibility studies are seen as the top priorities for Lao PDR in unlocking greater energy supply security.

Photo 4. Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood with Dr Akomdeth Vongsay (left) and with Souksakhone Philavanh (right).

ACE is moving forward towards setting-up the prerequisites to accommodate the development of the feasibility studies for the priority interconnection projects within Lao PDR. From the country visit, ACE stands committed to bring the vision of APG into fruition through coordination and dialogue facilitation; bridging the support from development partners with the country’s priorities to accelerate the development of APG infrastructure.