Mekong River Basin Hydropower
Encyclopedia
The estimated hydropower
potential of the lower Mekong
Basin (i.e. excluding China
) is 30,000 MW, while that of the upper Mekong Basin is 28,930 MW. In the lower Mekong, more than 3,235 MW has been met through facilities built largely over the past ten years, while an additional 3,209 MW are currently under construction. An additional 134 projects are planned for the lower Mekong, which will effectively exhaust the river’s hydropower generating capacity. The single most significant impact – both now and in the future – on the use of water and its management in the Mekong Region is hydropower.
With development proceeding in the region’s countries, power demands are expected to rise 7% per year over the next 20 years, yielding a substantial – and potentially lucrative - energy market. Hydropower is a clear and favoured energy option for the Mekong’s riparian countries, as reflected in the narrative
s utilised to support these interventions. Laos is being portrayed as the ‘battery of Southeast Asia’. In China, hydropower is heralded as the best possible (‘clean green’) alternative to their coal-fired power stations, and will open the way to the development of the west
. In Thailand, they emphasise the ‘greening of Isan
’, the drought-prone northeast, to legitimise the development of a spectacular ‘water grid’ that will channel water from Laos, under the Mekong mainstream, and over-emphasising projected energy demands in the country. In Cambodia, hydropower is central to solving the country’s energy supply problems.
The development of the Mekong River Basin is highly controversial, and is one of the most prominent components in the discussion about the river and its management. This debate occurs in both the academic literature, as well as the media, and is a focus for many activist groups.
Table 1: Commissioned dams in the Mekong River Basin (more than 10 MW)
is a large hydroelectric arch dam
on the Lancang (Mekong) River
in Yunnan Province
, southwest China, which is currently under construction. Construction commenced in January 2002 and the river dammed in October, 2004. Construction is expected to be complete in 2013. The dam site is at located 24°42′19.14"N 100°5′28.28"E. When complete, it will be the world's highest arch dam and the second largest hydroelectric power station in China after the Three Gorges Dam
. The dam will be 292 m (958 ft) high, a head of 248 m (814 ft), and a crest length of 920 m (3,018 ft). It will have an installed capacity of , spread over six turbines. All turbines are currently operational. Mean annual energy production is . The dam reservoir has a maximum capacity of 14.56 cubic kilometre, and active storage 9.9 cubic kilometre. The reservoir will cover an area of more than 190 km² (73.4 sq mi). The cost of the Xiaowan hydropower station is estimated at ¥32 billion (nearly US$
3.9 billion). The project is being constructed, and will be operated, by Huaneng Power International
.
Nuozhadu Dam
is a central core rock fill dam, presently under construction at 22°40′40.68"N 100°22′34.99"E. It is sometime also known as the "Ruzhadu". The dam will be 261.5 m (857.9 ft) tall, the tallest dam of this type in China
, and the third tallest in the world. It will create a reservoir with a normal capacity of 21749000000 cubic metre at a level of 812 m (2,664 ft) asl
. It will be the largest hydropower dam in the Mekong River Basin. The purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production along with flood control and navigation. The dam will support a power station with nine generators, each with generating capacity of 650 MW. The total generating capacity of the project is 5,850 MW. The construction and management of the project is being implemented by Huaneng Power International Ltd., which has a concession to build, own and operate hydroelectric dams on China's stretch of the Mekong River.
of Northeastern Cambodia
. The dam site is at 13°32′59.5"N 106°15′049.4"E. The dam is planned to be a run-of-the-river facility. It will be 75 m (246.1 ft) high, and will create a reservoir that will cover 355 km² (137.1 sq mi). It will have an installed capacity of 400MW with an average output of 1,998 GWh per year. Electricity will be routed to Vietnam
, and then half of its generated output sold back to Cambodia
. Construction is expected to commence in 2011, and completed in 2016. The dam will be located 25 km (15.5 mi) west of the confluence between the Sesan River and the Mekong
. The dam will be developed by a joint venture between Electricity of Vietnam (51%) and a Cambodian firm, the Royal Group (49%).
A memorandum of understanding between Cambodia's Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy (MIME) and Electricity of Vietnam was signed in 2007 outlining and authorising an initial feasibility study, and an environmental impact assessment
. In January 2011, the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment licensed Electricity of Vietnam to make a US$800 million investment into the project.
The project's environmental impact assessment
has drawn criticism from some groups. The dam's reservoir is expected to inundate numerous villages upstream from the dam. Up to 2,000 people will be displaced, with claims that at least 38,675 people, including a large number of indigenous peoples, resident in at least 86 villages located along the Sesan and Srepok
Rivers and in the reservoir area would lose access to a considerable proportion fisheries resources as a consequence of the dam impeding fish migration routes
Prek Liang 1 Dam is a dam planned for the Prek Liang River, a tributary of the Mekong
, in the Ratanakiri Province of Cambodia
. The proposed dam site is at 14°12′59.62"N 107°15′2.42"E. It is understood to be a seasonal storage dam, and is intended to be 90 m (295.3 ft) high and 300 m (984.3 ft) long. It will have an installed capacity of 64MW and will generate 300GWh annually. Its reservoir will have a live storage capacity of 110000000 cubic metre. The dam will be both developed and operated by a Korean company, KTC Cable.
The dam is based inside the Virachey National Park
. The park is one of only two Cambodian ASEAN Heritage Parks and is one of the top priority areas for conservation in Southeast Asia
. The dam is under pre-feasibility study.
The Sambor Dam would be the lowest dam of the Mekong's
mainstream dams, and largest in Cambodia
. It is planned to be a concrete gravity dam and an earth rockfill dam. If commissioned, the dam will extend across the Mekong
mainstream as well as the mouth of the inflowing Sre Pok
, Sesan and Se Kong Rivers. The dam site is located near the village of Sambor, upstream of Kratie at 12°46′59.4"N 105°57′0.62"E, and would inundate the river channel to just south of Stung Treng
town. It is being developed by the China Southern Power Grid Company at an estimated cost of US$4,947 million. Associated transmission lines would cost a further US$312.9 million. 70% of the power it generates is destined for Vietnam, while the balance is intended for domestic Cambodian markets. It would have an installed capacity of 2,600MW, and a dam over 18 km (11.2 mi) and 56 m (183.7 ft) high, with a rated head of 33 m (108.3 ft). If built, its reservoir would be 620 km² (239.4 sq mi) with an active storage of 463 cubic kilometre. Construction and inundation will displace an estimated 19,034 people. The dam's earliest potential commissioning date is 2020.
Like other mainstream (and tributary) dams planned for the Mekong, the Sambor Dam has given rise to numerous social and environmental concerns. It is expected that the dam, together with the Stung Treng Dam (see below) will have significant negative impacts on the Mekong's fisheries, its hydrology and regional and national economies
Stung Battambang 1 Dam
(also known as 'Battambang 1') is planned to be an earth core rockfill dam that will impound the Battambang River
in Cambodia
. The river is a major tributary of the Tonle Sap
. The dam will be located east of Pailin District, in the Battambang Province
of Cambodia
. Of the two dams planned for this river, the larger is the Stung Battambang 1. It is planned to be 38 m (124.7 ft) high, to have an installed capacity of 24MW, and an annual electricity output of 120GW. A letter of commitment has been issued by the Cambodian authorities for a pre-feasibility study of the dam by an unknown Korean company
Surrounding the dam site is the Bannan Irrigation project, covering some 20000 ha (77.2 sq mi), and the dam is understood to play a role in the irrigation of this area, as well as generating hydropower
. There is little data available about reservoir size or number of people who will be displaced. The dam is one of three possible dams in the Stung Battambang basin; the other two would block two of the Battambang River
's tributaries: the Mongkol Borey River and the Sangker River
.
The Stung Treng Dam is a proposed earth core rockfill gravity dam hydroelectric project over the Mekong River in Stung Treng Province
, Cambodia
. If completed, the dam's crest will be 10844 m (35,577.4 ft) long, and 22 m (72.2 ft) high. Its rated head is 15.2 m (49.9 ft). If commissioned, it will have an installed capacity of 980MW, and will, on average, generate 4,870GWh a year. The dam's reservoir, which will extend well beyond the mainstream canal, will have an active storage of 70000000 cubic metre, and will inundate an area of 211 km² (81.5 sq mi), and 50 km (31.1 mi) long The proposed dam site is located at 13°34′31.14"N 105°59′0.42"E.
An MoU for its development had been signed with a Russian company, but when this lapsed, the Song Da company from Viet Nam agreed to carry out feasibility studies. At this stage it is not known where the power is destined for. Multiple independent agencies, including International Rivers
, the Save the Mekong campaign (www.savethemekong.org) and others have all raised concerns about the dam’s construction. The dam site lies within the Stung Treng Ramsar Site (Ramsar site No. 999), which effectively obliges the Royal Cambodian Government to ‘actively support' the three 'pillars' of the Ramsar Convention
: 1) ensuring the conservation and wise use of wetlands it has designated as Wetlands of International Importance, 2) including as far as possible the wise use of all wetlands in national environmental planning, and 3) consulting with other Parties about implementation of the Convention, especially in regard to transboundary wetlands, shared water systems, and shared species. If it and the Sambor Dam (see above) are constructed, it is expected that fish migration routes (which support the Tonle Sap
fisheries, the world's largest inland fishery) will be more or less wholly impeded. The two proposed dams of the Sambor and the Stung Treng would have the Mekong
river basin's highest sediment trapping efficiencies of all the Lower Mekong Basin's proposed mainstream projects, destabilising downstream channels and between Kratie and Phnom Penh
and cutting overbank siltation in the Cambodian floodplain.
If built, an estimated 21 villages with 2,059 households and 10,617 people will be displaced with the construction of the dam. "Stung Treng and Sambor would create a situation of extreme crisis for the populations of affected provinces, and could provoke an emergency food security situation for the poor".
(or Lancang) River. It will be located in Zhonglu Township, Weixi County, Diqing Prefecture, in China's Yunnan
Province at 26°50′10.13"N 99°6′40.05"E. At the damsite, it will draw on a catchment are of 88700 km² (34,247.3 sq mi), and a mean annual discharge of 810m3/s. It will be 138 m (453 ft) high, with a total installed capacity of 900MW, a firm output of 375MW, and an annual output of 4630GWh.
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
potential of the lower Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
Basin (i.e. excluding China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
) is 30,000 MW, while that of the upper Mekong Basin is 28,930 MW. In the lower Mekong, more than 3,235 MW has been met through facilities built largely over the past ten years, while an additional 3,209 MW are currently under construction. An additional 134 projects are planned for the lower Mekong, which will effectively exhaust the river’s hydropower generating capacity. The single most significant impact – both now and in the future – on the use of water and its management in the Mekong Region is hydropower.
With development proceeding in the region’s countries, power demands are expected to rise 7% per year over the next 20 years, yielding a substantial – and potentially lucrative - energy market. Hydropower is a clear and favoured energy option for the Mekong’s riparian countries, as reflected in the narrative
Narrative
A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...
s utilised to support these interventions. Laos is being portrayed as the ‘battery of Southeast Asia’. In China, hydropower is heralded as the best possible (‘clean green’) alternative to their coal-fired power stations, and will open the way to the development of the west
China Western Development
China Western Development , also China's Western Development, Western China Development, Great Western Development Strategy, or the Open Up the West Program is a policy adopted by the People's Republic of China to boost its less developed western regions.The policy covers 6 provinces , 5 autonomous...
. In Thailand, they emphasise the ‘greening of Isan
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
’, the drought-prone northeast, to legitimise the development of a spectacular ‘water grid’ that will channel water from Laos, under the Mekong mainstream, and over-emphasising projected energy demands in the country. In Cambodia, hydropower is central to solving the country’s energy supply problems.
The development of the Mekong River Basin is highly controversial, and is one of the most prominent components in the discussion about the river and its management. This debate occurs in both the academic literature, as well as the media, and is a focus for many activist groups.
Existing hydropower infrastructure
Dams already constructed are presented below in Table 1:Table 1: Commissioned dams in the Mekong River Basin (more than 10 MW)
| Project | Country | River | Approx Location | Commissioned | Installed capacity (MW) | Height (m) | Crest length (m) | Active storage (million m3) | Max reservoir area (km2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dachaoshan | CHN | Mekong | 24°1′27.80"N 100°22′10.77"E | 2003 | 1,350 | 118 | 481 | 367 | 826 |
| Gongguoqiao | CHN | Mekong | 25°36′43.7"N 99°17′45.6"E | 2008 | 750 | 130 | 120 | 343 | |
| Jinghong Jinghong Dam The Jinghong Dam is a gravity dam composed of roller-compacted concrete on the Lancang River near Jinghong in Yunnan Province, China. The main purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production and it has an associated 1,750 MW power station. Part of the power generated will be sold to Thailand... |
CHN | Mekong | 22°3′6.50"N 100°46′1.96"E | 2010 | 1,750 | 118 | 249 | 510 | |
| Manwan | CHN | Mekong | 24°37′19.51"N 100°26′54.76"E | 1992 | 1,550 | 136 | 418 | 257 | 415 |
| Houayho | LAO | Houayho/Xekong | 15°3′34.17"N 106°45′51.39"E | 1999 | 150 | 76.5 | 620 | ||
| Nam Leuk | LAO | Nam Leuk/Nam Ngum | 18°26′16.41"N 102°56′04"E | 2000 | 60 | 45 | 800 | 185 | |
| Nam Lik 2 | LAO | Nam Lik | 18°49′4.63"N 102°7′42.73"E | 100 | 103 | 328 | 8.26 | 24.4 | |
| Nam Ngum 1 Nam Ngum Dam The Nam Ngum Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Nam Ngum river, a major tributary of the Mekong in Laos.-Location:The dam is approx. 90 km north of Vientiane, a 250 square km artificial reservoir that has an intriguing secret beneath its surface... |
LAO | Nam Ngum Nam Ngum Nam Ngum is a 354 km long river of Laos and one of major tributaries of the Mekong. It originates from the Northern mountainous region of Xiangkhoang Province and flows south through Vientiane Province joining the Mekong at Vientiane Capital.Nam Ngum River basin is home for about 1 million... |
18°31′49.82"N 102°32′50.39"E | 1971 | 148.7 | 75 | 468 | 7,000 | 370 |
| Nam Theun 2 | LAO | Nam Theun Nam Theun Nam Theun, also known as Khading, is a river in Laos, in Khammouane and Bolikhamsai Provinces. Together with its tributaries Nam One, Nam Noy, and Nam Theun it has total length of and drain an area of .... /Xe Bangfai |
17°59′50.47"N 104°57′8.30"E | 2010 | 1,075 | 48 | 325 | 3,680 | 450 |
| Theun-Hinboun | LAO | Nam Theun Nam Theun Nam Theun, also known as Khading, is a river in Laos, in Khammouane and Bolikhamsai Provinces. Together with its tributaries Nam One, Nam Noy, and Nam Theun it has total length of and drain an area of .... /Nam Hinboun |
18°15′39.62"N 104°33′45.09"E | 1998 | 210 | 20 | |||
| Xeset 1 | LAO | Xeset | Saravan Province, Lao PDR | 1994 | 45 | 0.5 | |||
| Xeset 2 | LAO | Xeset | Saravan Province, Lao PDR | 2009 | 76 | 20 | |||
| Buon Kuop | VN | Sre Pok | 12°31′39"N 107°55′19"E | 2009 | 280 | 37 | |||
| Buon Tua Sra | VN | Se San/Kroong Po Ko | 12°16′40.66"N 108°2′34.98"E | 2009 | 86 | ||||
| Dray Hinh 1 | VN | Sre Pok | Dak Lak Province, Viet Nam | 1990 | 12 | ||||
| Dray Hinh 2 | VN | Sre Pok | 12°40′31.78"N 107°54′13.00"E | 2007 | 16 | ||||
| Plei Krong | VN | Se San/Kroong Po Ko | 14°24′41.38"N 107°51′51.48"E | 2008 | 100 | 65 | 745 | 162 | 80 |
| Sesan 3 | VN | Sesan | 14°13′19.98"N 107°47′43.05"E | 2006 | 79 | 164 | 6.4 | ||
| Sesan 3A | VN | Sesan | 14°12′55.13"N 107°43′20.15"E | 2007 | 96 | ||||
| Sesan 4 | VN | Sesan | 14°6′23.02"N 107°39′28.08"E | 2009 | 360 | 60 | 54 | ||
| Sre Pok 3 | VN | Sre Pok | 12°45′2.78"N 107°52′34.32"E | 2009 | 220 | 52.5 | |||
| Yali Falls Yali Falls Dam The Yali Falls Dam is the second largest dam in Vietnam, located in Gia Lai and Kon Tum provinces on the Krong Poko, a tributary of the Sesan River, in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam, about 70 kilometres upstream of the Cambodian border. The 69 metre-high dam was begun in 1993 and sealed in... |
VN | Sesan | 14°13′38.93"N 107°49′46.55"E | 2001 | 720 | 65 | 1,460 | 1,037 | 64.5 |
| Chulabhorn Chulabhorn Dam Chulabhorn Dam is a dam in Tambon Thung Lui Lai, Amphur Kon San, Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand. It impounds the Phrom River, a tributary of the Mekong. The dam has diverted the Nam Phrong River. As water leaves its turbines, it empties into the Choen River... |
THL | Nam Phrom | 16°32′10.56"N 101°39′0.13"E | 1972 | 40 | 70 | 700 | 188 | 31 |
| Pak Mun Pak Mun dam The Pak Mun Dam is a gravity dam located 5.5 km west of the confluence of the Mun and Mekong rivers in Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand... |
THL | Mun | 15°16′54.82"N 105°28′5.01"E | 1994 | 136 | 17 | 300 | ||
| Sirindhorn Sirindhorn Dam The Sirindhorn Dam is located in the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchatani, Thailand. It impounds the Lam Dom Noi River, and its reservoir is the province's largest water resource. The dam was commissioned in 1971 to serve as a hydropower facility as well as to supply irrigation water. All of... |
THL | Lam Dom Noi | 15°12′22.82"N 105°25′44.96"E | 1971 | 36 | 42 | 940 | 1967 | 288 |
| Ubol Ratana Ubol Ratana Dam The Ubol Ratana Dam is a multi-purpose dam located in Tambon Kok-Soong, Ubol Ratana District, approximately north of Khon Kaen, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand. It was the first hydroelectric power project developed in the Thailand's northeastern area of Isan. The dam impounds the Nam Phong, a... |
THL | Nam Pong | 16°46′31.42"N 102°37′5.97"E | 1966 | 25.2 | 35.1 | 885 | 2,263 | 410 |
| Hua Na Hua Na Dam Hua Na Dam is the biggest dam in the Khong-Chi-Mun project. It is located close to the Rasi Salai Dam, which has been inoperable for over 10 years because of extreme salinization. Hua Na sits atop the same salt dome as Rasi Salai and may face the same fate as Rasi Salai if the gates are ever closed... |
THL | Huay Kaosan | 1994 | 17 | 207 | ||||
| Lam Phra Phloeng Lam Phra Phloeng Dam -Siltation:The land is tilled after harvesting and has become sensitive to sheet erosion. The area suffers periodically from floods and droughts. Increased erosion since forest clearance has led to the increase of sediment load in rivers draining into the reservoir... |
THL | Lam Phra Phloeng | 1967 | 11 | 145 | ||||
| Lam Ta Khong | THL | Lam Ta Khong | 15°12′22.82"N 105°25′44.96"E | 2002 | 500 | 40.3 | 251 | 291 | 1,430 |
Hydropower infrastructure under construction in China
The Xiaowan DamXiaowan Dam
The Xiaowan Dam is a large hydroelectric arch dam on the Lancang River in Yunnan Province, southwest China. It is the world's highest arch dam and will be the second largest hydroelectric power station in China after the Three Gorges Dam. Construction started on 1 January 2002. The river was...
is a large hydroelectric arch dam
Arch dam
An arch dam is a type of dam that is curved and commonly built with concrete. The arch dam is a structure that is designed to curve upstream so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, compressing and strengthening the structure as it pushes...
on the Lancang (Mekong) River
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
in Yunnan Province
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
, southwest China, which is currently under construction. Construction commenced in January 2002 and the river dammed in October, 2004. Construction is expected to be complete in 2013. The dam site is at located 24°42′19.14"N 100°5′28.28"E. When complete, it will be the world's highest arch dam and the second largest hydroelectric power station in China after the Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, located in the Yiling District of Yichang, in Hubei province, China...
. The dam will be 292 m (958 ft) high, a head of 248 m (814 ft), and a crest length of 920 m (3,018 ft). It will have an installed capacity of , spread over six turbines. All turbines are currently operational. Mean annual energy production is . The dam reservoir has a maximum capacity of 14.56 cubic kilometre, and active storage 9.9 cubic kilometre. The reservoir will cover an area of more than 190 km² (73.4 sq mi). The cost of the Xiaowan hydropower station is estimated at ¥32 billion (nearly US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
3.9 billion). The project is being constructed, and will be operated, by Huaneng Power International
Huaneng Power International
Huaneng Power International Inc. , or Huaneng, was established in 1994 administrated by the State Council of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the five largest power producers in China. It engages in the development, construction and operation of large power plants...
.
Nuozhadu Dam
Nuozhadu Dam
Nuozhadu Dam is an under construction embankment dam on the Lancang River in Yunnan Province, southwest China. The dam will be tall, and will create a reservoir with a normal capacity of at a level of asl. The purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production along with flood control and...
is a central core rock fill dam, presently under construction at 22°40′40.68"N 100°22′34.99"E. It is sometime also known as the "Ruzhadu". The dam will be 261.5 m (857.9 ft) tall, the tallest dam of this type in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and the third tallest in the world. It will create a reservoir with a normal capacity of 21749000000 cubic metre at a level of 812 m (2,664 ft) asl
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
. It will be the largest hydropower dam in the Mekong River Basin. The purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production along with flood control and navigation. The dam will support a power station with nine generators, each with generating capacity of 650 MW. The total generating capacity of the project is 5,850 MW. The construction and management of the project is being implemented by Huaneng Power International Ltd., which has a concession to build, own and operate hydroelectric dams on China's stretch of the Mekong River.
Planned hydropower infrastructure in Cambodia
The Lower Se San 2 Dam is a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Se San River in the Stung Treng ProvinceStung Treng Province
Stung Treng is a northern province of Cambodia.-Description:The Cambodia/Lao border is located in the north of Stung Treng Province. The Mekong river crosses the province roughly in its midst.-History of stung treng:...
of Northeastern Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. The dam site is at 13°32′59.5"N 106°15′049.4"E. The dam is planned to be a run-of-the-river facility. It will be 75 m (246.1 ft) high, and will create a reservoir that will cover 355 km² (137.1 sq mi). It will have an installed capacity of 400MW with an average output of 1,998 GWh per year. Electricity will be routed to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, and then half of its generated output sold back to Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. Construction is expected to commence in 2011, and completed in 2016. The dam will be located 25 km (15.5 mi) west of the confluence between the Sesan River and the Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
. The dam will be developed by a joint venture between Electricity of Vietnam (51%) and a Cambodian firm, the Royal Group (49%).
A memorandum of understanding between Cambodia's Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy (MIME) and Electricity of Vietnam was signed in 2007 outlining and authorising an initial feasibility study, and an environmental impact assessment
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
. In January 2011, the Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment licensed Electricity of Vietnam to make a US$800 million investment into the project.
The project's environmental impact assessment
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
has drawn criticism from some groups. The dam's reservoir is expected to inundate numerous villages upstream from the dam. Up to 2,000 people will be displaced, with claims that at least 38,675 people, including a large number of indigenous peoples, resident in at least 86 villages located along the Sesan and Srepok
Srepok River
The Srepok River is a major tributary of the Mekong River. It runs from the Dak Lak Province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam through the Ratanakiri and Stung Treng Provinces in Cambodia to join the Mekong near Stung Treng town. Its length varies from 406 km to 450 km in which the last 281 km...
Rivers and in the reservoir area would lose access to a considerable proportion fisheries resources as a consequence of the dam impeding fish migration routes
Prek Liang 1 Dam is a dam planned for the Prek Liang River, a tributary of the Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
, in the Ratanakiri Province of Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. The proposed dam site is at 14°12′59.62"N 107°15′2.42"E. It is understood to be a seasonal storage dam, and is intended to be 90 m (295.3 ft) high and 300 m (984.3 ft) long. It will have an installed capacity of 64MW and will generate 300GWh annually. Its reservoir will have a live storage capacity of 110000000 cubic metre. The dam will be both developed and operated by a Korean company, KTC Cable.
The dam is based inside the Virachey National Park
Virachey National Park
Virachey National Park is a national park in north-eastern Cambodia. Although partly protecting flora and fauna of international conservation priority, the park is under serious threat from illegal logging in the region....
. The park is one of only two Cambodian ASEAN Heritage Parks and is one of the top priority areas for conservation in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. The dam is under pre-feasibility study.
The Sambor Dam would be the lowest dam of the Mekong's
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
mainstream dams, and largest in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. It is planned to be a concrete gravity dam and an earth rockfill dam. If commissioned, the dam will extend across the Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
mainstream as well as the mouth of the inflowing Sre Pok
Srepok River
The Srepok River is a major tributary of the Mekong River. It runs from the Dak Lak Province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam through the Ratanakiri and Stung Treng Provinces in Cambodia to join the Mekong near Stung Treng town. Its length varies from 406 km to 450 km in which the last 281 km...
, Sesan and Se Kong Rivers. The dam site is located near the village of Sambor, upstream of Kratie at 12°46′59.4"N 105°57′0.62"E, and would inundate the river channel to just south of Stung Treng
Stung Treng
Stung Treng is the capital of Stung Treng Province, Cambodia. It is located in the western part of the Virachey National Park.It is the major city of both the district and province and has a population of 29,665 ....
town. It is being developed by the China Southern Power Grid Company at an estimated cost of US$4,947 million. Associated transmission lines would cost a further US$312.9 million. 70% of the power it generates is destined for Vietnam, while the balance is intended for domestic Cambodian markets. It would have an installed capacity of 2,600MW, and a dam over 18 km (11.2 mi) and 56 m (183.7 ft) high, with a rated head of 33 m (108.3 ft). If built, its reservoir would be 620 km² (239.4 sq mi) with an active storage of 463 cubic kilometre. Construction and inundation will displace an estimated 19,034 people. The dam's earliest potential commissioning date is 2020.
Like other mainstream (and tributary) dams planned for the Mekong, the Sambor Dam has given rise to numerous social and environmental concerns. It is expected that the dam, together with the Stung Treng Dam (see below) will have significant negative impacts on the Mekong's fisheries, its hydrology and regional and national economies
Stung Battambang 1 Dam
(also known as 'Battambang 1') is planned to be an earth core rockfill dam that will impound the Battambang River
Stung Battambang River
Stung Battambang River is a river in Cambodia. It is a major tributary of the Tonlé Sap....
in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. The river is a major tributary of the Tonle Sap
Tonlé Sap
The Tonlé Sap is a combined lake and river system of major importance to Cambodia.The Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and is an ecological hot spot that was designated as a UNESCO biosphere in 1997....
. The dam will be located east of Pailin District, in the Battambang Province
Battambang Province
Battambang is a province in northwestern Cambodia. It is bordered to the North with Banteay Meanchey, to the West with Thailand, and to the East and South with Pursat. The capital of the province is the city of Battambang. The name, meaning 'lost staff', refers to the legend of Preah Bat Dambang...
of Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. Of the two dams planned for this river, the larger is the Stung Battambang 1. It is planned to be 38 m (124.7 ft) high, to have an installed capacity of 24MW, and an annual electricity output of 120GW. A letter of commitment has been issued by the Cambodian authorities for a pre-feasibility study of the dam by an unknown Korean company
Surrounding the dam site is the Bannan Irrigation project, covering some 20000 ha (77.2 sq mi), and the dam is understood to play a role in the irrigation of this area, as well as generating hydropower
Hydropower
Hydropower, hydraulic power, hydrokinetic power or water power is power that is derived from the force or energy of falling water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. Since ancient times, hydropower has been used for irrigation and the operation of various mechanical devices, such as...
. There is little data available about reservoir size or number of people who will be displaced. The dam is one of three possible dams in the Stung Battambang basin; the other two would block two of the Battambang River
Stung Battambang River
Stung Battambang River is a river in Cambodia. It is a major tributary of the Tonlé Sap....
's tributaries: the Mongkol Borey River and the Sangker River
Sangker River
The Sangker River is a river in Battambang Province in western Cambodia. The river drains into the Tonle Sap lake. It flows through the provincial capital of Battambang itself....
.
The Stung Treng Dam is a proposed earth core rockfill gravity dam hydroelectric project over the Mekong River in Stung Treng Province
Stung Treng Province
Stung Treng is a northern province of Cambodia.-Description:The Cambodia/Lao border is located in the north of Stung Treng Province. The Mekong river crosses the province roughly in its midst.-History of stung treng:...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. If completed, the dam's crest will be 10844 m (35,577.4 ft) long, and 22 m (72.2 ft) high. Its rated head is 15.2 m (49.9 ft). If commissioned, it will have an installed capacity of 980MW, and will, on average, generate 4,870GWh a year. The dam's reservoir, which will extend well beyond the mainstream canal, will have an active storage of 70000000 cubic metre, and will inundate an area of 211 km² (81.5 sq mi), and 50 km (31.1 mi) long The proposed dam site is located at 13°34′31.14"N 105°59′0.42"E.
An MoU for its development had been signed with a Russian company, but when this lapsed, the Song Da company from Viet Nam agreed to carry out feasibility studies. At this stage it is not known where the power is destined for. Multiple independent agencies, including International Rivers
International Rivers
International Rivers is a non-profit, non-governmental, environmental and human rights organization based in Berkeley, California, United States...
, the Save the Mekong campaign (www.savethemekong.org) and others have all raised concerns about the dam’s construction. The dam site lies within the Stung Treng Ramsar Site (Ramsar site No. 999), which effectively obliges the Royal Cambodian Government to ‘actively support' the three 'pillars' of the Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
: 1) ensuring the conservation and wise use of wetlands it has designated as Wetlands of International Importance, 2) including as far as possible the wise use of all wetlands in national environmental planning, and 3) consulting with other Parties about implementation of the Convention, especially in regard to transboundary wetlands, shared water systems, and shared species. If it and the Sambor Dam (see above) are constructed, it is expected that fish migration routes (which support the Tonle Sap
Tonlé Sap
The Tonlé Sap is a combined lake and river system of major importance to Cambodia.The Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and is an ecological hot spot that was designated as a UNESCO biosphere in 1997....
fisheries, the world's largest inland fishery) will be more or less wholly impeded. The two proposed dams of the Sambor and the Stung Treng would have the Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
river basin's highest sediment trapping efficiencies of all the Lower Mekong Basin's proposed mainstream projects, destabilising downstream channels and between Kratie and Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
and cutting overbank siltation in the Cambodian floodplain.
If built, an estimated 21 villages with 2,059 households and 10,617 people will be displaced with the construction of the dam. "Stung Treng and Sambor would create a situation of extreme crisis for the populations of affected provinces, and could provoke an emergency food security situation for the poor".
Planned hydropower infrastructure in China
The "Tuoba Hydropower Plant" is a planned concrete gravity dam, which will planned to be the fifth of China's 'cascade dams' on the MekongMekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
(or Lancang) River. It will be located in Zhonglu Township, Weixi County, Diqing Prefecture, in China's Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
Province at 26°50′10.13"N 99°6′40.05"E. At the damsite, it will draw on a catchment are of 88700 km² (34,247.3 sq mi), and a mean annual discharge of 810m3/s. It will be 138 m (453 ft) high, with a total installed capacity of 900MW, a firm output of 375MW, and an annual output of 4630GWh.
Planned hydropower infrastructure in Vietnam
Table 2: Proposed Dams on the Mekong Mainstream| Project | Country | Approx Location | Commissioning | Installed capacity (MW) | Height (m) | Crest length (m) | Active storage (million m3) | Max reservoir area (km2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuozhadu Nuozhadu Dam Nuozhadu Dam is an under construction embankment dam on the Lancang River in Yunnan Province, southwest China. The dam will be tall, and will create a reservoir with a normal capacity of at a level of asl. The purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production along with flood control and... |
CHN | 22°39′22.34"N 100°25′06.22"E | 2016 | 5,850 | 261.5 | 608 | 21.749 | 320 |
| Pak Beng | Lao PDR | 19°50′37.64"N 101°1′7.22"E | 2016 | 1,230 | 76 | 943 | 442 | 87 |
| Luang Prabang | Lao PDR | 20°03′58.8"N 102°11′30.7"E | 2016 | 1,410 | 68 | 1,106 | 734 | 90 |
| Xayaburi Xayaburi Dam The Xayaburi Dam is a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Lower Mekong River approximately east of Xayaburi town in Northern Laos.-History:On 4 May 2007, the Lao government signed a memorandum of understanding with Thailand's Ch. Karnchang Public Company for the development of this hydropower project... |
Lao PDR | 19°15′14.46"N 101°48′49.2"E | 2016 | 1,260 | 32 | 810 | 225 | 32 |
| Pak Lay (Option 1) | Lao PDR | 18°19′45.93"N 101°31′19.25"E | 2016 | 1,320 | 35 | 630 | 384 | 108 |
| Pak Lay (Option 2) | Lao PDR | 18°24′6.14"N 101°34′59.4"E | 2016 | 1,320 | 35 | 630 | 384 | 108 |
| Sanakham | Lao PDR | 17°48′52.73"N 101°32′14.91"E | 2016 | 700 | 38 | 1,144 | 106 | 81 |
| Pakchom | Lao PDR/Thailand | 18°12′12.37"N 102°3′15.11"E | 2017 | 1,079 | 1,200 | 55 | 12 | 74 |
| Ban Koum | Lao PDR/Thailand | 15°25′4.37"N 105°35′14.51"E | 2017 | 1,872 | 53 | 780 | 0 | 133 |
| Lat Sua | Lao PDR | 15°19′11.83"N 105°37′5.67"E | 2018 | 686 | 27 | 1,300 | 0 | 13 |
| Don Sahong Don Sahong Dam The Don Sahong is a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Mekong River in Siphandone area of Champasak Province, southern Laos. It is located less than two kilometers upstream of the Laos–Cambodia border.-History:... |
Lao PDR | 13°56′37.87"N 105°57′22.62"E | 2016 | 240 | 10.6 | 1,820 | 115 | 2.9 |
| Stung Treng Stung Treng Dam The Stung Treng Dam is a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Mekong River in Stung Treng Province, Cambodia. It is located on the mainstream of the Lower Mekong River, which has not been developed... |
Cambodia | 13°34′31.14"N 105°59′0.42"E | 980 | 22 | 10,884 | 70 | 211 | |
| Sambor Sambor Dam The Sambor Dam is a proposed dam and hydroelectric power station on the Mekong River south of Sambor village in Prek Kampi District, Kratie Province, Cambodia... |
Cambodia | 12°46′59.4"N 105°57′0.62"E | 2020 | 2,600 | 56 | 18,002 | 465 | 620 |
See also
- MekongMekongThe Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
- Mekong DeltaMekong DeltaThe Mekong Delta is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. The Mekong delta region encompasses a large portion of southwestern Vietnam of . The size of the area covered by water depends on the season.The...
- Stung Sen RiverStung Sen RiverStung Sen River is a river in Cambodia. It is a major tributary of the Tonlé Sap....
- Se San River
- Tonle SapTonlé SapThe Tonlé Sap is a combined lake and river system of major importance to Cambodia.The Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and is an ecological hot spot that was designated as a UNESCO biosphere in 1997....
- Nam Ngum DamNam Ngum DamThe Nam Ngum Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Nam Ngum river, a major tributary of the Mekong in Laos.-Location:The dam is approx. 90 km north of Vientiane, a 250 square km artificial reservoir that has an intriguing secret beneath its surface...
- International RiversInternational RiversInternational Rivers is a non-profit, non-governmental, environmental and human rights organization based in Berkeley, California, United States...
- Mekong River CommissionMekong River CommissionThe Mekong River Commission is an intergovernment body charged “to promote and co-ordinate sustainable management and development of water and related resources for the countries’ mutual benefit and the people’s well-being by implementing strategic programmes and activities and providing...
- Yali Falls DamYali Falls DamThe Yali Falls Dam is the second largest dam in Vietnam, located in Gia Lai and Kon Tum provinces on the Krong Poko, a tributary of the Sesan River, in the Central Highlands of Viet Nam, about 70 kilometres upstream of the Cambodian border. The 69 metre-high dam was begun in 1993 and sealed in...
- Greater Mekong Sub-region Academic and Research NetworkGreater Mekong Sub-region Academic and Research NetworkThe Greater Mekong Sub-region Academic and Research Network is a network of academic and research institutions in a Greater Mekong sub-region....
- GMS Environment Operations CenterGMS Environment Operations CenterGreater Mekong Subregion Environment Operations Center was established in early 2006 to serve as the information and knowledge clearing house for environmental management in the Greater Mekong Subregion and is responsible for facilitating the timely and effective implementation of the GMS Core...
External links
- CPWF-Mekong
- 3S Rivers Protection Network
- Australian Mekong Resource Centre
- Cambodia National Mekong Committee
- Department of Energy Promotion and Development (EPD), Ministry of Energy and Mines (Lao PDR)
- Department of Water Resources (Thailand)
- Electricité du Laos
- Electricity Authority of Cambodia
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Fisheries Action Coalition Team (Cambodia)
- GMS Academic and Research Network
- Greater Mekong Sub-region
- Greater Mekong Subregion Environment Operations Center
- Greater Mekong Sub-region Social Studies Center -
- International Rivers
- Lao National Mekong Committee
- Living River Siam
- Mekong Basin Research Network
- Mekong Environment and Resource Institute
- MekongInfo
- Mekong Institute
- Mekong Program on Water, Environment and Resilience
- Mekong River Commission
- Mekong Watch
- Mekong Wetlands Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use Programme
- Nam Theun Hinboun Power Company
- Nam Theun 2
- Probe International
- Save the Mekong Campaign
- Stimson Institute Mekong Policy Project
- Sustainable Mekong Research Network (SUMERNET)
- TERRA
- Thailand National Mekong Committee
- Vietnam Electricity
- Vietnam National Mekong Committee
- WWF Greater Mekong Programme