Australia grants Laos $9.42M for grid expansion

The Australian government has given US$ 9.42 million to the Lao government for implementing the rural power grid expansion project.

An agreement on the grant assistance from the Australian government was signed by Deputy Minister of Finance, Mme. Viengthong Siphandone and Country Director of the World Bank in Laos, Ms Keiko Miwa.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Australian ambassador to Laos, Michele Amme Foster, Deputy Minister of Energy and Mining, Mr Somboune Rasasombat, and relevant officials.

The grant assistant will support the government efforts in having 80 per cent of the Lao people gain an access to electricity by 2015 and 90 per cent by 2020.

The grant is also to ensure 11,500 households in the country access electricity.