Instrumentation network at the Xayaburi hydro plant to monitor and evaluate safety

As a large concrete barrage type run-of-river hydropower plant, Xayaburi in Lao PDR has been designed and provided with an instrumentation network to monitor plant safety and behaviour, and as a tool for early indications of any unusual behaviour during operation. This article presents the instrumentation network (types and locations), its design and the behaviour of various structures. The monitoring results at the spillway and the powerhouse have been selected to showcase the safety of the overall plant. A case study of piezometer results is also presented to demonstrate that monitoring results are well in line with design assumptions.