(October 4, 2002) Government of Laos signed a concession agreement with developer, Nam Theun 2 Power Company, for its controversial Nam Theun 2 dam. [The dam’s developers are now in their eighth year of trying to work out a deal with Thailand and the World Bank.]

(March 1, 2001) The 210 MW Theun-Hinboun hydropower project in the Lao PDR came online in 1998. It was built and is operated by a new entity named the Theun Hinboun Power Company. A loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) was the formative component of project finance. Its economic purpose is given as earning money for the Lao government, through export power sales to Thailand, to use in national development.

(March 1, 2001) Nam Theun 2’s developers, Electricity Consortium (NTEC), say it depends on a World Bank US$100 million "partial risk guarantee" covering commercial loans to the project – without which commercial banks will not put money into the financially risky scheme.

(November 28, 2000) Thailand’s Electricity Generating PCL said it plans to increase its stake in Nam Theun 2 Electricity Consortium, a power plant project located in Laos, from 20% to 25%.

(November 22, 2000) A major obstacle to the proposed 1,069-megawatt, $1.2 billion, Nam Theun 2 dam is the World Bank’s hesitancy to underwrite the project, largely due to environmental concerns.

(February 1, 2000) Basic Facts about the dam.

(November 2, 1999) “Accordingly, it is clearly understood that, if the Bank is to support the Nam Theun 2 project, the latter would need to be in full compliance with the Bank’s environmental and social policies and that higher standards would need to be applied.”