Khon Kaen, Thailand — August 14, 2025 — The Mekong Institute (MI) and China Southern Power Grid Lancang-Mekong International Co., Ltd. (CSG-LMI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration in the regional power and energy sector. The agreement paves the way for the establishment of a Regional Capacity Building Center for the Power and Energy Sector in South and Southeast Asia, which will serve as a hub for technical training, knowledge exchange, and policy dialogue to advance grid interconnection, clean energy transition, and sustainable power development.

Under the MoU, CSG-LMI’s technical expertise and industry experience will be combined with MI’s capacity-building capabilities and intergovernmental networks. The partnership will focus on developing multidisciplinary professionals across the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)/Lancang-Mekong Region in key areas such as power trade, infrastructure interconnection, smart grids, green financing, clean energy applications, and enterprise management.

The MoU was signed by Mr. Gan Lin, Chief Executive Officer of Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, China Southern Power Grid (CSG) and Board Chairman, CSG-LMI, and Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn, Executive Director of MI.

“MI has been a trusted partner in supporting the six Lancang-Mekong countries with expertise and capacity building,” said Mr. Gan. “This MoU builds on our achievements—training more than 630 technical and managerial professionals in the power sector—and elevates our cooperation to a new strategic level.”

Mr. Suriyan highlighted that MI and CSG have built a strong foundation of mutual trust and cooperation over years of close engagement, strengthened joint support to initiatives such as the Lancang-Mekong Power Utility Cooperation and its Summit (LMPUS). He expressed his hope that both sides will enhance dialogue and coordination in hosting high-level forums in the regional power sector, actively contribute to the work of the LMPUS Secretariat, and jointly promote regional power cooperation and development.”

CSG and MI began their collaboration in 2015 with a focus on technical training for power sector professionals from the Lancang-Mekong countries. In 2021, the two parties renewed a five-year framework agreement to expand their cooperation to include joint training programs, thematic research, and project implementation in the GMS/Lancang-Mekong Region.