Driving out of Muang Xay in Oudomxay province, Laos, after about an hour of mountain roads, a vast dark blue "sea" appears: rows of neatly arranged solar photovoltaic panels stretch along the undulating hills, glistening under the sun. This is the largest single-site mountain solar project in Southeast Asia and Laos' first large-scale mountain photovoltaic initiative—the first phase of the 1,000MW CGN Clean Energy Base in Northern Laos, covering approximately 2,100 hectares, which began operations in April this year.
Laos' Minister of Industry and Commerce, Malaythong Kommasith, gave high praise, stating, "The project not only promotes the effective implementation of Laos-China power interconnection but also creates numerous job opportunities for Laos and stimulates the development of related industries."
Within the photovoltaic station's step-up substation main transformer area, the main transformer emits a low, continuous hum, boosting the voltage of electricity generated by the panels before transmitting it to the grid. On the control room's large screen, real-time cumulative power generation data is displayed. "This is yesterday's output: 5.28 million kWh, indicating a long sunny day with clear skies," said Wang Yang, head of production operations and maintenance at CGN Laos, pointing to data on a whiteboard in the control room around 4 PM. During Laos' dry season, consecutive sunny days typically see daily generation surpassing 5 million kWh. The project is expected to generate an average of 1.65 billion kWh annually, equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 1.3 million tons per year.
"The project serves as a core support power source for the China-Laos 500kV interconnection project, significantly enhancing power supply in northern Laos and reducing reliance on external electricity purchases. It also channels clean energy via cross-border transmission to southern China, providing crucial support for optimizing the regional energy structure and advancing Laos' 'Southeast Asian battery' strategy," Wang added. After collection at the substation, the clean electricity from the solar farm connects to the northern Laos grid and the China-Laos 500kV interconnection project, enabling long-distance transmission.
Thongphath Inthavong, former Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines of Laos, noted that the project drives local green and low-carbon transformation along with economic and social development, while effectively boosting power interconnectivity between northern Laos and southern China. In March, the Laos Clean Energy Power Standards Research Institute, co-supported by Laos' Ministry of Industry and Commerce and Chinese counterparts, was established in Vientiane. The institute focuses on engineering management standards for clean energy projects, power station operation and maintenance standards, power talent development, alignment of Lao-China power standards, and regional and international energy standards integration. This represents a leap from physical infrastructure connectivity to "soft connectivity" in rules and standards.
"In the future, the institute's outcomes will be incorporated into the bilateral power standards cooperation mechanism and promoted for alignment with regional and global standards, aiming to build a unified, forward-looking standards system for Lancang-Mekong regional power interconnection," Wang said. Nearby, a second-phase wind-solar hybrid project is scheduled to begin construction within the year. "Soon, a large array of wind turbines will appear on the distant ridgeline. Projects like biomass and multi-energy complementary clean energy bases will also advance," noted Chen Shaoyang, phase one project manager at CGN Laos.
The area features mountainous terrain, extensive forests, and scattered rice paddies. "Northern Laos is dominated by hills, with most villagers relying on rice farming and having very limited arable land. During initial project planning, we optimized land use to minimize disruption to local residents," Chen explained. "When acquiring land, we strictly adhered to the 'three no-occupation' principle: no occupation of a single house, no occupation of any basic farmland, and no occupation of any primary forest. Through design optimization, we achieved zero impact on forest reserves, villages, and farmland."
Adjusting bracket heights and "slimming down" column structures reduced foundation excavation area by 30%. Relocating the substation cut excavation volume from 600,000 cubic meters to 300,000 cubic meters. All collector lines were buried underground, and tower foundations used "unequal leg" designs for eco-friendly construction. Ultimately, the project's actual land use was 1,565.52 hectares less than planned—equivalent to about 2,200 standard football fields—returning the land to nature.
Construction demonstrated meticulous care. Manual drilling minimized disturbance to the original terrain, and optimized pile foundation casting reduced vegetation impact. Construction waste was cleared promptly to prevent soil and water contamination. After completion, a viewing platform was built, with cosmos and bougainvillea blooming along the roads. Sitting in the "garden-style station," nearby villagers gaze at the majestic mountain solar array with joy. Oudomxay Province Deputy Governor Souvanny Mahavongxanamsan praised the project, stating it makes an outstanding contribution to local ecological protection and writes a warm chapter in Laos-China deepening cooperation on clean energy and building a shared future.
In the project office, local Muang Xay native Song Seng communicates fluently in Chinese with Chinese colleagues, coordinating recent work. In November 2023, seeing a job posting, he applied without hesitation: "The high-speed rail arrived, good companies came, and opportunities are at my doorstep." Now a key translator, he attended training in Shenzhen last year. "Previously, Muang Xay's youth had to migrate for work. Now, the project team not only paved roads and built schools for our hometown but also lets me and my friends participate in its development. Seeing Muang Xay improve fills me with genuine happiness," he said.
Chen noted that during peak construction, the project provided nearly 3,000 local jobs. Through the "Egret Class" targeted training program, using a "Chinese + vocational skills" model, it trained nearly 100 local technical talents, with 31 outstanding trainees selected as full-time employees. In Muang Xay town, a three-story red-and-white building stands out, its roof entirely covered with solar panels. This is the renovated Muang Xay Secondary School, a supporting livelihood project, officially handed over to Laos in March. "Previously, the school's teaching equipment was damaged, and even the blackboards were aging and cracking," said school principal Chenpheng Phanyasak. Now, all facilities are refurbished, and rooftop solar panels reduce electricity costs and daily operational expenses. "Students can intuitively learn about green energy during their studies," he added.
The project team also repaired and reinforced five roads and bridges in Muang Xay, built a new operating room and donated medical equipment to Muang Sing Hospital in Luang Namtha province, and advanced the renovation and construction of the Khong Ka Lao Primary School and Maju Village Office in Oudomxay. Souvanny Mahavongxansanam remarked, "This deep-level cooperation between Laos and China not only promotes Laos' energy transition but also effectively improves the local industrial ecosystem, truly achieving mutual benefit and win-win for both countries."
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