Xelabam Dam Hydropower Info - Selabam Dam Info - by Hobo Maps - Go to Hydropower Projects Page - - - Home

Xelabam is pronounced as "Say la bahm".

Xelabam (Selabam) Hydropower Plant and small reservoir image below:

Xelabam Hydropower Plant is the first hydropower project in Lao PDR. The project is located in Xanasomboun District of Champasak province on the XeDon river about 30 km north of where the river merges with the Mekong at Pakse city.

The project operates as a run-of-river style project.

Construction started in 1966 and finished in 1970. Major upgrades were made in later years with the last finished in 2022 when 8 MW addidional capacity was added.

Xelabam (Selabam) Hydropower Plant location below:

Xelabam Hydropower Site image below at coordinates - 15°21'16.2"N 105°50'01.1"E (15.354486, 105.833624):

The project was originally owned and operated by Electricity du Laos (EDL) but 100% ownership has now been transferred to EDL GEN.

Xelabam Hydropower Plant is a small run-of-river hydropower plant with installed capacity of 13.04 MW and generating capacity of 57 GWh per year.

Power plant images below:

Xelabam dams image below:

Three older generators in images below.

Powerhouse interior below.

Newer and larger generator image below:

One of the two weirs shown below:

Control room images below.

Xelabam HPP construction can be divided into three phases:

Phase 1 started in 1966 and was completed in 1970 with a conrete gravity dam and three Kaplan generating units having capacity of .68 MW each

Phase 2 started in 1990 and was completed in 1994 adding one Kaplan generating unit with capacity of 3.53 MW.

Phase 3 had facilities upgraded around 2019
- Newly installed headrace channel
- Penstock
- Tailrace
- A semi-underground structure for new power house
- Installation of new 8 MW generator units

- combined total capacity 13.04 MW in 2023

Selabam Hydropower Plant Statistics below:

1. Storage
Catchment area 6,360 sq km
Full water level 120.70 meters above sea level
Low water level 118.80 meters above sea level

2. Dam Concrete gravity type
Height 23 meters
Length 435 meters

3. Diversion channel 164 meters long

4. Penstock 130 meters long

Image of weirs below: Left weir 195 meters long & 3.5 meters high, right weir 240 meters long & 3.5 meters high

See nice video of Selabam HPP by EDL Gen in 2024 - HERE .

Xelabam dam is located at upper left area of map below:

3 transmission lines run out from Xelabam Power Plant in image below: