A 1,000-megawatt solar farm spread across 2,100 hectares of mountainous terrain in northern Laos began commercial operation in April, marking a major step in the country's push to become a regional clean energy hub.

The project, developed by China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN), is the largest single-phase solar installation in Southeast Asia and the first utility-scale photovoltaic plant built on mountain slopes in Laos. It serves as the anchor power source for the 500-kilovolt China-Laos transmission interconnection, which went live alongside the plant.

On clear days during the dry season, the facility generates more than five million kilowatt-hours daily, according to Wang Yang, operations manager at CGN Laos. The annual output is projected at 1.65 billion kilowatt-hours, tantamount to preventing roughly 1.3 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year, he said.

The electricity is collected at an on-site substation and transmitted through northern Laos' grid to southern China via the cross-border high-voltage line. Lao officials say the project has significantly eased power shortages in the north and reduced the country's dependence on imported electricity.

The project has driven local green transformation and economic and social development, and at the same time enhanced power interconnection between northern Laos and southern China, said Thongphath Inthavong, former deputy minister of energy and mines of Laos.

In March, Laos and China jointly established a clean energy power standards research institute in Vientiane. The institute is working to align technical and operational standards between the two countries, a move officials say will smooth future regional grid integration.

The project's environmental footprint was a central concern from the outset. Developers pledged to avoid all residential land, rice paddies, and primary forests — a commitment they say was fully honored. Through design adjustments, including raised panel brackets and optimized foundation layouts, the actual land disturbance was reduced by 1,565 hectares from initial plans.

Construction techniques minimized soil and vegetation disruption. Workers used manual drilling instead of heavy excavation and applied careful pouring methods to prevent runoff contamination. Today, the site includes lookout points and flowering pathways that have made it a local attraction.

The project has also delivered direct social benefits. At peak construction, it employed nearly 3,000 local workers. A vocational training program — combining Chinese language instruction with technical skills — has produced nearly 100 certified Lao technicians, 31 of whom have been hired as permanent staff.

Community infrastructure has been upgraded as well. The renovated Muangxay Secondary School, part of part CGN's overseas social responsibility project, now boasts a rooftop solar system that cuts the school's electricity bills. Five roads and bridges have been repaired or reinforced, and a hospital in nearby Luang Namtha province had a new operating room and medical equipment.

Souvath Mahavongsanan, Vice Governor of northern Laos' Oudomxay province, said the collaboration has gone beyond power generation. "This is deep cooperation that improves our local economy and industrial ecosystem," he said. "Both sides are benefiting."

A wind-solar hybrid expansion is scheduled to break ground later this year, with biomass and multi-source complementary projects also under consideration as Laos moves to consolidate its role as a clean-energy supplier for Southeast Asia.