Reservoirs and dams in Laos
Encyclopedia
Hydro-electric power is one of the few significant resources in Laos
with an estimated (theoretical) potential of 18000MW.
All existing and potential dams are on tributaries of Laos's main river, the Mekong
. The country's earliest major dam is on the Ngum river near Vientiane
providing 150MW mainly for domestic consumption. Completed in 1971 with Japanese aid, it flooded 370km² of forest and farmland to create the country's largest reservoir. Other major schemes are for export of electricity. Currently, the largest dam is the 80m Houay-Ho dam in the south of the country producing 150MW. One of the most productive has been the Theun-Hinboun scheme in the center of the country. With a relatively small dam and reservoir, it works by transferring most of the Theun river to the neighbouring (and lower) Hinboun river by tunnel, producing 210MW. Theun-Hinboun provides substantial economic benefits to Laos through energy sales to neighboring Thailand, local energy supplies in Laos, and regional development benefits. [www.thpclaos.com]
At least eleven sites have been identified for a series of further large dams to be built up to 2020 to produce a total of 5000MW. Thailand would be supplied by a dam on the Ngiep and further dams on the Ngum and Theun, other sites being on the Kong, Mo, Xe Pian and Xe Kaman in the south of the country for supply to Vietnam
. With political support, the only questions concern raising finance on the international markets. The largest dam planned is the Nam Theun II
, 50km upstream of Theun-Hinboun. This will be 50m high, provide 1000MW and flood an area of 450km², construction cost being around half the annual Laos GDP. Final hurdles to starting construction appear to have been cleared early in 2005, despite considerable environmental opposition.
The controversy of dam building mirrors that concerning globalization
. Proponents argue that the dams provide a sustainable source of foreign currency vital for economic growth, achieved primarily by selling electricity to neighbouring Thailand
. Opponents argue that most of the income is needed to pay off foreign debt, and the locals who suffer most upheaval never get properly compensated. Flooding and water diversion adversely affect the environment, and projects can end up less profitable than expected due to silting and/or market changes.
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
with an estimated (theoretical) potential of 18000MW.
All existing and potential dams are on tributaries of Laos's main river, 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 country's earliest major dam is on the Ngum river near Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
providing 150MW mainly for domestic consumption. Completed in 1971 with Japanese aid, it flooded 370km² of forest and farmland to create the country's largest reservoir. Other major schemes are for export of electricity. Currently, the largest dam is the 80m Houay-Ho dam in the south of the country producing 150MW. One of the most productive has been the Theun-Hinboun scheme in the center of the country. With a relatively small dam and reservoir, it works by transferring most of the Theun river to the neighbouring (and lower) Hinboun river by tunnel, producing 210MW. Theun-Hinboun provides substantial economic benefits to Laos through energy sales to neighboring Thailand, local energy supplies in Laos, and regional development benefits. [www.thpclaos.com]
At least eleven sites have been identified for a series of further large dams to be built up to 2020 to produce a total of 5000MW. Thailand would be supplied by a dam on the Ngiep and further dams on the Ngum and Theun, other sites being on the Kong, Mo, Xe Pian and Xe Kaman in the south of the country for supply 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 –...
. With political support, the only questions concern raising finance on the international markets. The largest dam planned is the Nam Theun II
Nam Theun II
The Nam Theun 2 Hydropower Project, or simply NT2, is a hydroelectric dam located on the Nam Theun River in Laos. Commercial operation of the plant began in March 2010...
, 50km upstream of Theun-Hinboun. This will be 50m high, provide 1000MW and flood an area of 450km², construction cost being around half the annual Laos GDP. Final hurdles to starting construction appear to have been cleared early in 2005, despite considerable environmental opposition.
The controversy of dam building mirrors that concerning globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
. Proponents argue that the dams provide a sustainable source of foreign currency vital for economic growth, achieved primarily by selling electricity to neighbouring Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Opponents argue that most of the income is needed to pay off foreign debt, and the locals who suffer most upheaval never get properly compensated. Flooding and water diversion adversely affect the environment, and projects can end up less profitable than expected due to silting and/or market changes.