The Monsoon Wind Power Project in Laos helps local residents increase their income by growing coffee and other crops in Sekong Province, Laos, on Nov 21. ZHU JIPENG/FOR CHINA DAILY
Driving east from Pakse, the largest city in southern Laos, endless stretches of paddy fields slowly give way to rolling mountain ranges. As the altitude climbs, rows of white wind turbines come into view, spinning steadily along the ridges up to the summits.
This is the main site of the 600-megawatt Monsoon Wind Power Project in Laos designed and built by a Chinese company. As the country's first wind farm and currently the largest single wind power project in Southeast Asia, it marks a major step in Laos' clean energy development.
Workers of the Monsoon Wind Power Project play basketball with students in a local school in Sekong Province, Laos, on Nov 20. ZHU JIPENG/FOR CHINA DAILY
Financing has come from a group of regional and global lenders whose support reflects deep confidence in its technical, environmental, and economic merits. These include the Asian Development Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and other agencies.
Spanning Sekong and Attapeu provinces, the project site sits at an elevation of 1,000 to 2,200 meters above the sea level and consists of 133 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 4.5 MW, said Sun Changjiang, a project manager from PowerChina Huadong Engineering Corporation.
Having reached full commercial operation in August 2025, the wind farm is expected to generate around 1.72 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and cut carbon emissions by 1.56 million metric tons, official data said.
Workers of the Monsoon Wind Power Project communicate with students in a local school in Sekong Province, Laos, on Nov 20. ZHU JIPENG/FOR CHINA DAILY
"Developing economies in Asia and the Pacific face shortfalls in climate investments that are needed to clear a pathway for green growth," the report quoted Asian Development Bank Private Sector Operations Department Director General Suzanne Gaboury as saying.
"The financing from ADB and its partners will help unlock Laos' untapped wind resources, providing a basis for a transition to clean energy and green growth that will have lasting benefits for the economy," the report said.
An engineer from PowerChina Huadong Engineering Corporation communicates with international staff at the Monsoon Wind Power Project site in Sekong Province, Laos, on Dec 28. ZHU JIPENG/FOR CHINA DAILY
Cross-border supply
The clean electricity generated is transmitted eastward via a 71-kilometer, 500-kilowatt transmission line to central Vietnam.
"From November to April each year, Laos enters the dry season, when rainfall decreases and wind speeds pick up," Sun said.
"The project will help address seasonal power shortages in Southeast Asia, enhance grid stability, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels."
The wind turbines in Sekong Province, Laos, on Nov 21. ZHU JIPENG/FOR CHINA DAILY
Cross-border power supply has been a pillar of Laos' economic growth. Harnessing the landlocked country's untapped wind resources can provide energy diversification as the seasonality of the wind resource is countercyclical to the rainy season, which supports the Lao hydropower generation.
During the construction, more than 1,000 local residents were employed in roles ranging from labor and management to drivers and interpreters, accounting for over 60 percent of the total workforce. Many received skills training from the project team, with some continuing to work on-site after completion, Sun said.
Engineers from China and Laos inspect the wind turbine blades in Sekong Province, Laos, on Nov 19. ZHU JIPENG/FOR CHINA DAILY
Overcoming difficulties
The project team overcame multiple challenges, including complex terrain, biodiversity conservation, long-distance logistics, rainy-season construction, and cross-border grid integration.
More than 160 kilometers of on-site roads were built, improving travel to nearby villages and facilitating the transport of local produce.
A dedicated research team was also hired to monitor biodiversity, identifying over 20 protected species — including rare fire salamanders and azaleas — and adjusting construction plans to protect their habitats. Azaleas are popular shrubs that bloom in early spring to summer.
The ancient town of Hoi An in Vietnam attracts tourists from all over the world with its unique night views on Dec 25. ZHU JIPENG/FOR CHINA DAILY
Laos, a key electricity exporter in Southeast Asia, has been striving to become the "Battery of Southeast Asia". Preparatory work is already underway for the second phase of the Monsoon project, which will add 1,000 MW of capacity.
In the coming five years, additional wind farms such as Savan 1 and Khang are expected to launch across Laos, bringing the total new installed capacity to around 4.4 gigawatts.
Under a 25-year power purchase agreement with Vietnam Electricity and a 28-year concession pact with the Lao government, the project illustrates deepening energy cooperation within the region.
As Laos continues to expand its renewable energy portfolio, projects like Monsoon Wind not only boost its export capabilities but also set a benchmark for cross-border green energy collaboration in ASEAN.
Source: By China Daily Global, chinadaily.com, Jan. 12, 2026 [https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202601/12/WS69645086a310d6866eb332ef_1.html]