Japan’s J-POWER and Hazama Ando Corporation have joined the 770MW Pak Lay hydropower project in Laos, securing stakes through their joint venture JH International (JHI). The move marks both companies’ first entry into the Lao hydropower sector.
The project is located on the Mekong River in Laos and will be developed and operated by Pak Lay Power Company Limited (PLPC). The scheme is designed as a run-of-river plant with a total installed capacity of 770MW, comprising 14 generating units of 55MW each.
JHI acquired its interest on 2 April 2026 through a partial share purchase from a subsidiary of Gulf Development Public Company Limited. Following the transaction, J-POWER holds an indirect stake of approximately 49%, while Hazama Ando holds just over 2%.
PLPC will develop the project under a concession agreement with the Lao government using a build–operate–transfer (BOT) model. Commercial operations are scheduled to begin in 2033. After a 29-year power purchase period, the plant will be transferred to the government.
All electricity generated will be exported to Thailand under a long-term agreement with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), providing cross-border baseload supply from the Mekong basin.
The project’s run-of-river design is intended to utilise the Mekong’s natural flow while limiting environmental impact compared to large storage dams. The developers stated that the scheme will follow Lao regulations and international environmental and social standards, with a focus on river basin management and regional cooperation.
For J-POWER, the investment expands its Southeast Asian hydropower portfolio, complementing existing projects in the Philippines and Indonesia. The company brings technical experience in hydropower development and operation, while Hazama Ando contributes engineering expertise from domestic and international dam construction projects.
The Pak Lay project also represents continued collaboration with Gulf, Thailand’s largest private power producer, which remains a key partner in the development.
The developers said the project is expected to support stable, carbon-free electricity supply in the Mekong region while contributing to hydropower capacity building in Laos.
