Pöyry’s Energy Business Group has been awarded a technical consultancy services assignment for the Xayaburi hydro power plant project in Lao PDR. Pöyry works as the Government of Lao Engineer in the project. Pöyry will support the Government of Lao and the project owner Xayaburi Power Company Limited during the 8-year implementation period by reviewing the design and supervising the construction of the project. The parties have agreed not to disclose the value of the assignment. The project will be included in Pöyry’s fourth quarter 2012 order stock.
The project is a state-of-the-art run-of-river plant, with no large reservoir. The installed capacity of 1,285 MW is generated by 8 Kaplan turbines. The design includes multiple fish passages, fish-friendly turbines, low level outlet gates for sediment flushing and navigation locks for shipping to minimise possible adverse environmental and social effects of the plant. The energy production of the plant is sufficient to provide clean electricity to nearly 1 million people in Lao PDR and 3 million people in Thailand.
In 2011 Pöyry acted as a technical consultant to the Government of Lao preparing a technical comparison between the original Xayaburi hydropower project design and the recommendations of the Mekong River Commission. In that technical comparison, Pöyry made several specific recommendations to improve the sustainability of the scheme including additional environmental studies, installation of additional fish ladders and other measures to improve fish migration as well as technical design modifications to improve the sediment and nutrients handling. After this, Pöyry has worked as the Government of Lao Engineer during the development of the project to oversee the implementation of the proposed recommendations. The Government of Lao and Xayaburi Power Company Limited have confirmed that the recommendations made by Pöyry will be incorporated in the project design.
“Large infrastructure projects such as hydropower plants raise a variety of sustainability related questions among stakeholders. However, the Xayaburi hydropower plant, as an example, will provide CO2-free renewable energy for about 4 million people in South East Asia. The lifespan of a run-off river power plant can reach up to 100 years and during this period it will provide affordable clean renewable energy to Lao PDR and Thailand, replacing fossil fuels, improving reliability of power supply and helping to advance Lao PDR out of the “Least Developed” category of nations. Through this assignment Pöyry is committed to monitor the construction of the hydropower plant and its compliance with the Mekong River Commission guidelines, including the proposed technical design improvements and additional studies. I believe that by first reviewing the project’s technical design and now overseeing the project implementation we can actively and positively contribute in careful implementation of the first hydro power project in the lower Mekong river”, says Ari Asikainen, President, Energy business group.
Brief media package with images and information of the project is available on www.poyry.com/news-events/news/support-materials.
PÖYRY PLC
Additional information:
Ari Asikainen, President, Energy Business Group, Finland
Petteri Härkki, President, Asia Pacific and Middle East, Energy Business Group, Thailand
Contacts to Janne A. Saarinen, Communications Director, Pöyry
Tel. +358 10 33 26000
Pöyry is a global consulting and engineering company dedicated to balanced sustainability and responsible business. With innovation, quality and integrity at our core, we deliver best-in-class strategic advisory, engineering, project implementation and operations support services. Our in-depth expertise extends to the fields of energy, forest industry, chemicals & biorefining, mining & metals, transportation, water and real estate. Pöyry has about 7,000 experts and an extensive local office network. Pöyry’s net sales in 2011 were EUR 796 million and the company’s shares are quoted on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki (Pöyry PLC: POY1V).
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Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/09/idUS124343+09-Nov-2012+HUG20121109
