Xekaman 1 (Sekaman 1) Dam Hydropower Info - by Hobo Maps - Go to Hydropower Projects Page - - - Home
Xekaman 1 Hydropower Project is on the Xekaman river in Sanxay district, Attapeu province, Lao PDR. It contains 2 subprojects: Xekaman 1 hydropower plant in the upper section of the river and Xekaman-Sanxay hydropower plant in the lower section. The Xekaman River is fed from Nong Fa Lake.
XeKaman is pronounced like "Say ka mahn".
See our other web page for Xekaman-Sanxay hydropower plant
Xekaman 1 hydropower project images below:
The Project is located in both Sanxay and Sayxetha districts of Attapeu province about 80 kilometers away from the Laos-Vietnam border post of Phu Cua, Laos and Kon Tum, Vietnam.
Xekaman 1 Hydropower Project developer is Xekaman 1 Power Company Limited. Main contractor is Song Da Corporation. Construction period was from 2011-2016.
The project represents an investment of over US$ 541 million including over US$ 54 million that was spent on the 220 kilovolt power transmission lines.
Xekaman 1 hydropower and Xekaman-Sanxay hydropower have combined power output capacity of 322 MW. 20% of the output is planned to be used for Lao domestic consumption and 80% exported to Vietnam through a 220 kV transmission line connecting Ban Sok in Lao PDR to Pleiku Gia Lai in Vietnam.
The Project catchment area is 3,580 square kilometers. The reservoir full supply level surface is 230 meters above mean sea level with low supply level at 218 meters above mean sea level.
The large reservoir has 3,120 million cubic meters total storage volume with active storage volume of 1,683 million cubic meters, big enough to hold an entire year's inflows.
The reservoir covers an area of 149.8 sq km at normal operating level which may be the fourth largest reservoir in Laos in 2025.
Xekaman 1 Dam and reservoir images below:
See Excess water release video Oct. 1, 2025
Xekaman 1 hydropower project has designed capacity of 290 MW consisting of two turbine units of 145 MW each. Xekaman-Sanxay hydropower plant has designed capacity of 32 MW with two turbine units 16 MW each. Together they have an average annual output potential of 1,220 GWh.
Xekaman 1 site shown in satellite image below with powerhouse at coordinates - 14°57'33.6"N 107°09'05.8"E (14.959333, 107.151611):
The project operates under a Concession Agreement between the government of Laos and Xekaman 1 Power Company Limited for a term of 25 years from the commercial operation date. The Power Purchase Agreement with Electricite Du Laos (EDL) was signed on October 28, 2010 and the purchase agreement with Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) was signed on either March 2, 2011 or Nov. 6, 2012 (conflicting info).
Other funding for the project may have been provided by the Vietnam government’s “Development Assistance Fund” and by Vietnamese commercial banks.
In April 2023, partial debt refinance was sought for the existing loans of Xekaman 1 & 3. Not sure of the outcome for this refinancing.
Xekaman 1 powerhouse and tailrace image below:
The dam structure is 335 meters long and 120 meters high.
Xekaman 1 penstock length is 183.2 meters with a diameter of 6.8 meters.
Xekaman 1 Dam site location is at coordinates 14°57'36.2"N 107°09'19.9"E (14.960041, 107.155538)
Xekaman 1 and XeKaman-Sanxay hydropower plant locations shown in satellite image below:
Xekaman 1 reservoir shown in satellite image below:
Xekaman 1 reservoir images below.
The large Xekaman 1 reservoir has a substantial seasonal regulating effect on the XeKaman river below the Xekaman-Sanxay power plant. This reservoir determines regulation of the river and is large enough to capture all of the monsoon rains except in very wet years.
Andritz Hydro provided complete electro-mechanical equipment for the Xekaman 1 hydropower plant in December 2013 which included two Francis turbine-generator sets, governing system, automation and protection system, auxiliary systems and the complete switchyard.
In 2025 it was reported there are about 160 operating personnel involved in normal operation of the project.
Xekaman 1 project details below:
Xekaman 1 hydropower switch yard images below:
Xekaman 1 powerhouse images below:
Xekaman 1 powerhouse rotor installation image below:
Xekaman 1 control room below:
Xekaman 1 and Xekaman-Xanxay power plants are located within 2 km of each other and operate together. Xekaman 1 was completed in 2016 and Xekaman-Xanxay in 2018. Power from both is exported along a 220 kV transmission line with a 70 km section from Xekaman 1 Hydropower Plant to the Vietnam border (invested by Viet-Lao Power Joint Stock Company) and a 119 km section from Bo Y border gate in Kon Tum Province, Vietnam to Pleiku 2 substation in Vietnam (invested by EVN).
XeKaman 1 & Xekaman-Sanxay export power to Vietnam as seen in images below:
Xekaman 1 and Xekaman-Sanxay hydropower projects are located at right side of map below:
Xekaman 1 project has developed 2 resettlement areas in Xanxay district, Attapeu province. The Souksavang-Dakbou resettlement area with a total area of 1,273 hectares, a total of 158 households, and more than 800 people, was completed and handed over at the end of 2015, with a total investment cost of 3.307 million USD. Also the Houydoum resettlement area with a total area of 1,155 hectares on March 15, 2020 with a total investment of 4.427 million USD for a total of 98 households with 559 people.
In June 2018, US-based ACO Investment Group and and its company Convalt Energy agreed with Viet Lao Power Joint Stock Company to study co-development of a floating photovoltaic solar power project for the large Xekaman 1 reservoir. A press release indicated that 250 megawatts (MW) of ground-mounted solar and 280 MW of floating solar could be developed for export to Vietnam through existing transmission lines. Not sure of the outcome of this agreement but in year 2026 we have no news of any actual installations or ongoing construction.
Viet-Lao Power Co. monument at Xekaman 1 HPP
The Lao words "Xe" and "Nam" both mean "river" and a term such as "Nam XeKaman" is not normally used.