The Electricite du Laos Transmission Company Limited (EDL-T), a joint venture between China Southern Power Grid (CSG) and Lao state-run Electricite du Laos (EDL), has formally started operation, local media reported on Thursday.

A ceremony was held here on Monday, attended by Lao Minister of Energy and Mines Phoxay Sayasone, Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Laos Wang Chang, Chairman of the CSG Meng Zhenping, and Managing Director of the EDL Chanthaboun Soukaloun, Vientiane Mai newspaper reported.

At the event, Phoxay said EDL-T is a key cooperation project between Laos and China in the power sector.

The minister said he believed that the project's full operation will bolster the collaboration between EDL and CSG, ensure the stability and reliability of the Lao power grid, enhance the regional competitiveness of Laos' electricity industry, drive the growth of other Lao industrial sectors, and give better play to the role of the power sector in promoting economic growth in Laos.

Wang said that the cooperation project of EDL-T is a major achievement made by China and Laos in improving their interconnection and its full operation will fundamentally deepen bilateral cooperation in the power sector.

Meng said that the full operation of the EDL-T project marks a new stage of win-win cooperation between China and Laos in the energy and power sectors, adding that CSG will share its technological and managerial experience with the Lao side, build the EDL-T project into a successful model of the two countries in implementing the action plan for building a community with a shared future, strengthening international cooperation in the power sector and achieving win-win cooperation, in a bid to promote economic and social development of Laos and improve the wellbeing of the Lao people.

The EDL-T will serve as Lao's national power grid operator to invest in, construct and operate the 230kv-and-above power grids in the Southeast Asian country and implement grid interconnection projects between Laos and its neighboring countries.