Xe Katam 1-XeNamnoy 2 Hydropower Project Info by Hobo Maps - Go to Hydropower Projects Page - - - Home
XeKatam 1-XeNamnoy 2 Hydropower project is also know as "XeNamnoy 2-XeKatam 1 Hydropower". These double-name labels are confusing since we only see one powerhouse and plant facility and not two facilities.
Not sure why the name includes XeNamnoy 2 since at this time in 2024 we don't see any connection with the XeNamnoy river. At one time there were plans to divert water from XeNamnoy river into XeKatam river just above the current powerhouse.
In the planning stage for Xekatam 1 the plant's output was originally intented to be sold to EGAT in Thailand but it was later decided to use the output inside Laos for domestic demand.
XeKatam 1 HPP was originally designed to have a reservoir with headrace tunnel down to a 61 MW power plant but was later revised smaller as a run-of-river project with a small head pond and an open channel taking water to a smaller power plant.
The project is located on the main stream of the Xe Katam (river) in Champasak Province, southern Lao PDR with weir at coordinates 15°07'05.0"N 106°37'01.2"E (15.118056, 106.617000) and powerhouse coordinates at 15°07'19.8"N 106°38'29.0"E (15.122167, 106.641389).
Around 2004-2006 - Electric Power Co., Inc. was the developer (maybe not owner) of Xekatam Hydroelectric Power Project. But some issues came up in 2013 with cancelling of work, some workers being unpaid & losses for the developer. By 2015 this developer was out of the project and much info found on the web before 2015 is no longer relevant.
Not sure what happened next but recently we see the project being owned and developed by Xe Namnoy and Xe Katam Hydropower Co., a joint venture between Thai-based B.Grimm Power Ltd. and Lao-based SV Group Ltd.
XeKatam 1 layout image below. See larger scale version HERE.
Xe Katam 1 - XeNamnoy 2 Hydropower project location shown below on Bolaven Plateau:
Our map below shows 3 HPP close together - see enlarged version HERE
Xekatam 1 weir & pond satellite image below:
Xekatam 1 Powerhouse and switch yard images below:
Xekatam 1 Penstock and powerhouse image below:
The installed capacity of the Xekatam 1 project is 20.1 MW with annual capacity of 83 GWh power able to be supplied to the power grid in optimal operation. The power generated is to be delivered to EDL through 22kV transmission lines pursuant to a 25 year purchase agreement.
The hydropower project cost US $49 million and has been operational since 2016.
Austria-based Global Hydro Energy supplied and installed all electromechanical and process equipment for the project.
Nice aerial 3D view video of project during construction on the web HERE .
The project has a weir dam structure on the Xekatam River with an overflow edge. Intake water from the pond flows along an open channel and then into a turbine penstock and down to the powerhouse which has 3 horizontal Francis spiral turbine-generator sets rated at 6.7 MW output each for 20.1 MW total capacity.
Effective reservoir storage capacity is 115 million cubic meters of water.
Xekatam 1 weir images below:
The project hopes to channel additional water from the adjacent Xenamnoy river via a diversion channel into the hydropower plant.
Since operations began there has been insufficient water supply to keep the facility producing optimal power output and efforts are being made to bring new sources of water flow through the system.
Xekatam 1 - XeNamnoy 2 powerhouse images below:
Xekatam 1 - XeNamnoy 2 control room image below:
XeKatam 1 surge tank below:
Xekatam 1 - XeNamnoy 2 project turbine & generator parameters below:
Xekatam 1 - XeNamnoy 2 Dam hydropower project location is shown in middle area of map below as XeKatam 1:
Warning: There is much info on the internet that is now not relevant and not accurate since it relates to prior Xe Katam projects that have been cancelled or revised. At least 4 major changes have been made since the project was first planned around 2006 and most info on the web prior to 2015 is outdated. Initial projects were designed to have a large reservoir and generate around 61 to 81 MW of power capacity while the final project has a small run-of-river reservoir and only 20.1 MW capacity.
Xekatam 1 - XeNamnoy 2 Hydropower project may have qualified as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project under the Kyoto Protocol and may be entitled to receive carbon reduction credits. Average CO2 emission reductions over the crediting period from this project are estimated at 46,438 tons per year.
According to the CDM filing, the Xekatam 1 - XeNamnoy 2 Hydropower project construction did not result in displacement of residents or inundation of houses.
It seems there are two hydropower projects using the same powerhouse that has 3 identical generators at 6.7 MW each - two are for XeKatam 1 = 13.4 MW & the 3rd is for XeNamnoy 2 at 6.7 MW.
View or download the CDM application document HERE
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In recent satellite images we see a new diversion of water from Houay Kong stream into XeKatam & XeNanoy river systems as shown below: See larger scale version HERE
This diversion should increase output for both XeKatam 1 & XeNamnoy1 powerhouses. We are not sure who developed and financed the Houay Kong diversion.
Houay Kong diversion images below at coordinates 15°06'17.5"N 106°33'58.1"E (15.104861, 106.566139):
