Nam Chiane 1 Dam (Nam Chian 1) Hydropower in Laos by Hobo Maps- Go to Hydropower Projects Page - - - HOME
Nam Chiane 1 Hydropower Project is located on the upper Nam Chiane (river) in central Laos. Nam Chiane is a tributary of the Nam Ngiep (river) which joins the Mekong river near Paksan.
The project is about 70 km southeast of Phonsavanh and the Plain of Jars and just a few km above National Road 1D as it goes south towards Paksan and the Mekong.
The project is also known as Nam Chian, Nam Chiean and Nam Chien.
Nam Chiane 1 Dams and reservoir images below:
The project is on the southern Xieng Khouang Plateau with terrain higher in the north and lower in the south. Elevation at the dam site is generally 900 to 1300 meters above sea level while the lower power plant site to the south is 450 to 500 meters above sea level. The project has a gross head of about 600 meters.
The project sites go from Keosed village in Khoun district, Xieng Khuang province to Samkothong village in Thathom district, Xaysomboun province. The main dam is located in Xieng Khoung Province with the powerhouse in Xaysomboun Province.
Satellite image map below for Nam Ngiep River Basin hydropower projects:
The Nam Chiane HPP powerhouse is located on the left bank of Nam Chiane river. Installed capacity is 104 MW (2 x 52 MW vertical Pelton turbine sets) with optimal annual energy output of 451 GWh per year.
Nam Chiane 1 project layout image below - not to scale and north is not at top:
Construction of Nam Chiane 1 HPP began in 2013 and was completed in March 2018. Project cost was estimated at about US$ 250 million.
The project was developed by Electricite du Laos (EDL) but is now owned and managed by EDL GEN.
China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Company Limited was the project developer pursuant to an engineering, procurement and construction contract signed Dec. 2012.
Nam Chiane 1 Dam location shown in satellite image below:
The power generated was originally transmitted to the Thavieng Substation for local consumption mainly in Xieng Khouang Province but a later report has it maybe being exported to Vietnam. Not sure which is the case now in 2025.
Nam Chiane 1 HPP powerhouse site images below - located at coordinates 19°03'54.8"N 103°31'16.4"E (19.065210, 103.521220):
The project includes a rock-filled dam with clay core 93 meters high and 294 meters long, a flushing sluice, access tunnels, power plant buildings and switching stations. The surge tower is 110 meters high and 10 meters in diameter.
The watershed area upstream of the north dam site on Nam Chiane river is 281 sq km. Watershed area upstream of the south dam site on Nam Tong Sai river is 41 sq km and the combined watersheds are 322 sq km.
A smaller North Reservoir holds water that is channeled down to the larger South Reservoir in a tunnel 533 meters long. The total reservoir capacity is 14 million cubic meters.
The headrace tunnel is 7,390 meters long while the penstock is 2,525 meters long.
Nam Chiane 1 penstock, blue-roof powerhouse & switch yard images below:
Nam Chiane 1 layout image below:
Nam Chiane 1 dam images below:
Nam Chiane 1 penstock images below:
Nam Chiane 1 control images below:
Nam Chiane 1 control room below:
Nam Chiane 1 powerhouse interior image below:
Nam Chiane 1 intake structure images below - for both North & South reservoirs.
Nam Chiane 1 discharge tailrace channel image below:
Headrace tunnel adit entrance image below:
Nam Chiane 1 channel image shown below:
North Reservoir
Transmission line for transfer of output is a two circuit 115 kv line to Thavieng Substation.
Nam Chiane 1 reservoir images below:
Nam Chiane 1 switchyard image below with red roof.
Nam Chiane plant facilities below:
Nam Chiane 1 Project is shown on right side of map below:
Click HERE to see our hydropower web page for the greater Nam Ngiep catchment basin which describes the various dams, reservoirs and diversion projects in the drainage basin which are often inter-connected.
Watershed maps below show Nam Chian(e) and Nam Ngiep Hydropower Projects:
Nice 2022 video of Nam Chiane 1 hydropower project HERE .
