25th SEA Games, Laos

Electricite du Laos (EDL) has guaranteed that electricity supplies will be in order for the 25th SEA Games in Vientiane from December 9 to 18.

Electricity production, transmission lines and distribution systems are all ready to go, according to EDL, with the power supplied by Nam Ngum, Nam Leuk and Nam Mang dams over the period of the games.

EDL Deputy Managing Director Sisavath Thiravong told Vientiane Times on Friday that the preparation of electricity generation is 100 percent ready, and that power outages will not occur during the games.

He said the electricity supply would be adequate due to a production capacity of around 300 MW, which exceeds the expected demand of 10 MW during the event.

EDL has already arranged a standby system to prevent any problems that may arise in case of emergency.

They have spent more than 13 billion kip on electricity generation and supply system improvements at the Nam Ngum 1 hydropower plant in Vientiane province.

Manager of the Nam Ngum 1 hydropower plant, Mr Phoummy Netibandith, told Vientiane Times in September that the improvements will ensure the supply of electricity during the SEA Games and other important events or government meetings is sufficient.

Work included repairs to power generator No. 5 and upgrading the substation, protection line system (relay), and online partial discharge monitoring (analysis).

Deputy Head of EDL's Xaythany branch, Mr Thavisit Insixiengmai, said last week “We have improved every system in the district to ensure there is enough generation of electricity to the National Stadium.”

“This stadium needs 1.4 MW during the games. Standby generators are also prepared for this event.”

The stadium at Km 16 on Road 13 South in Dongsanghin village will be used for the opening and closing ceremonies, held on December 9 and 18 respectively.

The stadium can hold 20,000 spectators.

The games will involve athletes from the 11 nations of Laos , Vietnam , Cambodia , Brunei , Thailand , Malaysia , Indonesia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Singapore , and Timor Leste.

The 25 sports which will be competed at the games are athletics, aquatics (swimming, diving and water polo), archery, badminton, billiards and snooker, boxing, cycling, football, golf, judo, karatedo, sepak takraw, shooting, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, wushu, muay, fin swimming, petanque, shuttlecock and pencak silat.



By Times Reporters
Vientianetimes

The SEA Games organising committee will start checks on the electrical system at the sports complex from July 15.

The committee and national sports federations will inspect the electrical system after work to bring it up to international standards is complete. Work began on the system in April this year.

The sports complex consists of the National Football Stadium, tennis courts, archery fields, swimming pool, shooting fields and indoor courts which will host the volleyball and badminton events.

Manager of the SEA Games Construction Project, Mr Khiengkham Phoutchanhthavong, said the sports complex will have a high-quality electrical system in place before the games begin.

The committee will soon designate a manager to be responsible for running operations at the football stadium and indoor courts during the games.

Chinese technicians on Saturday tested the scoreboard's electrical system, which has been manufactured in China .

On the same day, members of the National Assembly and the Lao National Sports Committee (LNSC) visited the complex to monitor construction progress.

LNSC Vice President, Mr Somphou Phongsa, said the football stadium and indoor courts are of high standard and have been surfaced with the finest imported materials.

LNSC and NA members also visited athletes' accommodation at the National University of Laos.

The Lao Badminton Federation will host the Lao International Challenge at the indoor courts at the end of July in a trial run of the facilities.

Officials are busy maintaining and preparing facilities at the football stadium and other arenas in the lead-up to the games.

By Sangkhomsay Bubphanouvong
Vientianetimes