VIENTIANE - A groundbreaking ceremony for the 600 MW Monsoon Wind Power Project, the first of this kind in Laos, contracted by Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina), was held in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, on Tuesday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Laos, Saleumxay Kommasith, Lao Minister of Planning and Investment Khamjane Vongphosy and ministers of other government departments, Economic and Commercial Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Laos Zhao Wenyu, as well as representatives of the developer and contractor, attended the ceremony.

In his speech, Lao Minister of Energy and Mines Phoxay Sayasone said the Monsoon Wind Power Project will pave a new way for the development of wind power in Laos and provide a new momentum for the development of Laos' economy and power sector.

Sayasone also hoped that with support from Lao authorities at all levels, the project will be built in a smooth way.

Yang Jian, deputy general manager of PowerChina's Asia-Pacific Regional Headquarters, said in his speech that PowerChina will give full play to its technological and experience advantages to build the Monsoon Wind Power Project into a benchmark for new energy projects in Southeast Asia, contribute PowerChina's wisdom and strength to the economic and social development in Laos, and to the Belt and Road Initiative with a new achievement.

The Monsoon Wind Power Project, developed by Monsoon Wind Power Company Limited, a Lao company owned by Impact Energy Asia Development Limited from Thailand, entails a wind power project with a contracted capacity of 600 megawatts to be built in Sekong Province and Attapeu Province of southern Laos that will export and sell electricity to neighboring Vietnam.

After completion, the project will be the first wind power project in Laos, the largest in Southeast Asia and the first cross-border new energy project in Asia, according to Monsoon Wind Power Company's introduction.