Nam Ou 7 Dam Hydropower Info by Hobo Maps - Go to Hydropower Projects Page - - Home

The Nam Ou 7 hydropower project is located in Phongsaly district of Phongsaly Province, Lao PDR on the Nam Ou (river) about 327 km upriver from the junction with the Mekong River and 47 km above the Nam Ou 6 dam site.

Nam Ou 7 dam and reservoir images below:

The Nam Ou cascade hydropower project is a series of seven hydroelectric dams along the Nam Ou (river) in Phongsaly and Luang Prabang provinces of northern Lao PDR. The project is managed by PowerChina and the Lao government under a build, operate and transfer (BOT) agreement signed in April 2011. Nam Ou 7 commenced commercial production in 2020.

Nam Ou 7 was built by Nam Ou Power Co., Ltd. (Nam Ou Power) which is a joint venture between Power-China Resources Ltd. (PowerChina) and the Lao state electricity corporation, Electricite du Laos (EDL).

Construction of the project was managed by Sinohydro Corporation, a subsidiary of Power China.

Nam Ou 7 dam location is at coordinates 22°04'56.6"N 102°15'33.4"E (22.082389, 102.259278) as in satellite image below:

Some of the Nam Ou cascade projects have concession periods of 25 years while others have 29 year periods. Not sure which applies to Nam Ou 7.

Nam Ou 7 has a concrete face rockfill dam with a height of 143 meters and crest length of 591 meters. Normal water storage is at 635 meters above sea level. Maximum water storage is 1,770 million cubic meters with 1,060 million cubic meters regulating capacity. Nam Ou 7 is the only one of the seven Nam Ou dams to have significant annual regulation capability.

The Nam Ou 7 powerhouse is located inside the dam structure and has 210 MW capacity from 2 turbines of 105 MW each with 838 GWh annual output potential. The total project cost was estimated at US$ 656 million.

The reservoir has a 3,448 square km catchment area and the reservoir surface covers an area of 38 square kilometers. This upstream seventh power station reservoir has a relatively larger capacity which makes it possible in dry seasons for the downstream six smaller power stations in the cascade to generate more electricity.

Nam Ou 7 is the only one of the seven Nam Ou dams to have significant annual regulation capability.

The feasibility study report of this project was approved by the Lao Government in February, 2014. The EIA report was approved by the Lao Government in October, 2014. In August, 2014, the first draft of the PPA Agreement was submitted to EDL. We are not sure if or when a final PPA was executed.

Nam Ou 7 powerhouse and spillway images below:

Nam Ou 7 powerhouse interior images below:

On 6 August 2026, Nam Ou hydropower projects 5, 6 and 7 were successfully connected to the China–Laos 500 kV Interconnection Station which enables surplus hydropower output from these three plants to be exported to China for the first time. The 500 kV Namor 3 substation is located in Namor district, Oudomxay Province of Lao PDR and since early 2026 has been linked further to the 500 kV Xishuangbanna power station in Jinghong city of Yunnan Province China.

Nam Ou 7 turbine-generator units below:

Nam Ou 7 powerhouse apparatus images below:

Nam Ou 7 area images below:

Nam Ou 7 construction site image below in early stage.