The Selabam Hydropower Project Extension is a 1 x 3 MW run of river installation located on the SeDone river, approximately 32 km north of Pakse in southern Lao PDR. The project was developed to augment an existing hydropower station that had been operating since 1970 with an installed capacity of 3 x 680 kW.

The SeDone river originates in the southeastern highlands of Saravane province and flows towards the Mekong river at Pakse. The extension involved construction of an independent water conductor system and a new powerhouse to harness the available head at the river falls near Selabam. Both the existing and new power stations operate as run of river schemes, utilising the natural head available at the site.

Hydraulic scale model studies were carried out to address intake hydraulics, sediment control, flow regime improvements and tailrace water level fluctuations. To optimise the scheme within committed funding, the installed capacity was finalised at 3 MW. Cost effective construction methods such as reinforced concrete penstocks and use of gabions for hydraulic structures were adopted. The project was successfully commissioned in January 1994.

TCE’s scope