The World Bank decided to support and guarantee a US$1.2 billion hydro-electric project in Laos...The project will enable spending on basic health and education in Laos to rise by as much as 25 to 30 percent in its first year of operation, the bank said...It is a joint venture between the Laos government and the Nam Theun 2 Power Company, which comprises EDFI, the global arm of French state-owned Electricite de France [EDF], which holds a 35 percent key stake. The Lao government and Thailand's Electricity Generating Public Co. Ltd. hold a 25 percent stake each while another 15 percent equity came from joint venture Italian-Thai Development Public Co. Ltd. [Italthai]