Thai Glow Energy studies power plant project in Laos
 
BANGKOK, March 27 (Reuters) - Thailand's Glow Energy PCL GLOW.BK, part
of French utility GDF Suez, said a subsidiary had agreed with the
government of Laos to look into building a hydropower plant on the
Xepian-Houay Soy river in Southern Laos.
 
Glow is Thailand's third-largest private power producer. Its
subsidiary will take around 18 months to study the geological and
social, economic and environmental impact, plus produce a technical
and financial assessment, it said in a statement.
 
"If the results of the study are positive and project agreements can
be concluded with reasonable terms, the project can achieve commercial
operation in 2015," the statement said.
 
Initial studies indicated that the expansion of the Xepian-Houay Soy
project would enhance the use of the existing infrastructure of Glow's
subsidiary, Houay Ho Power, it said, adding the project could almost
double the installed capacity of 152-megawatt (MW) Houay Ho Power and
exports of electricity to Thailand.
 
Houay Ho Power Co is a joint venture between Glow Energy, state-run
Electricite De Laos (EDL) and Thailand's Hemaraj Land and Development
PCL HEMR.BK.
 
Glow has the capacity to produce about 2,000 MW of power, or 7-8
percent of Thailand's capacity, including the Houay Ho plant, in which
it has a 67.25 percent stake.
 
Glow is 69 percent owned by GDF Suez Energy International, a unit of
GDF Suez.