China’s CGN brings Southeast Asia’s largest solar project online in Laos

A 1 GW photovoltaic (PV) project in northern Laos has been connected to the grid, marking the largest single solar installation in Southeast Asia and the country’s first utility-scale mountainous PV development.

Developed by China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), the project is Phase I of the Northern Laos Clean Energy Base and is located in Mengxai and Namo districts of Oudomxay province. The project was formally commissioned on April 7, 2026 in Vientiane, with Lao Prime Minister Somxay Siphandone declaring it operational.

At full capacity, the plant is expected to generate about 1.65 billion kWh annually and offset approximately 1.3 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. The electricity is transmitted through the China–Laos 500 kV interconnection line, with the project acting as a dedicated supply source for cross-border power flows.

This is CGN’s first independently developed overseas gigawatt-scale greenfield clean energy project. The installation comprises around 2.23 million solar panels and has received a Green Energy Quality Certification from the Lao government, reflecting measures such as optimised panel layouts and ecological restoration to limit environmental impact.

The project involved participation from more than 70 companies, including over 40 Chinese firms and 30 Lao enterprises across construction, equipment, and materials supply chains. During peak construction, nearly 3,000 local jobs were created, alongside upgrades and repairs to five roads and bridges in the region.

CGN also established the Lao Clean Energy Power Supply Standards Research Institute during the project, described as the country’s first institution focused on power supply standards, aimed at improving regulatory alignment between Laos and China.

As part of associated community initiatives, CGN handed over an operating room and medical equipment to Mengxin District Hospital in Luang Namtha Province. It also initiated construction and renovation of two primary schools and a village office across Oudomxay and Phongsaly provinces, and trained nearly 100 local engineers under its “Egret Class” programme.

CGN Chairman Yang Changli said the company plans to advance additional clean energy projects across five northern provinces and expand into central and southern Laos, positioning 2026, designated as China–Laos Friendship Year, as a phase for deeper bilateral energy cooperation.

Image credit: CGN