Making a Difference in People's Lives: Rural Electrification in the Lao People's Democratic Republic

Grid connectivity in rural Lao PDR yields widespread benefits: substantial improvements in household income, spending, ownership of durable assets, and children's education. Policymakers should consider extending grid-connectivity to households still off the grid.  For connected households, reliability and quality of service should be improved.

Grid power in Lao PDR is subject to seasonality due to its reliance on hydropower. Avoiding outages in the dry season can be temporarily solved by having households reduce their electricity consumption. A long-term solution will depend on increasing energy efficiency, adding generation capacity, and extending the grid.