Controversial Laos Dam Inaugurated

[webfact]

Controversial Laos dam inaugurated

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday attended the official inauguration of Laos' controversial Nam Theun II hydropower project, which according to developers ushers in a new era of growth, but conservationists say adversely affects more than 100,000 people.

More than 90 per cent of the 1,000MW of electricity generated by the dam would be sold to Thailand, providing Laos with US$2 billion (Bt60.15 billion) in revenue over the next 25 years, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said. These funds are earmarked for nationwide health and education services as well as other povertyalleviation programmes, the bank said.

"This project is a testament to the fact that when hydropower projects are done right, in a socially and environmentally responsible manner, the benefits are considerable," Kunio Senga, directorgeneral of ADB's Southeast Asia Department, said.

Before the Nam Theun II project, more than half the families in villages on the Nakai Plateau, where the project is located, lived in poverty. Child mortality rates were high, clean drinking water was scarce and sanitation was almost nonexistent.

"Today, the vast majority of residents say they are better off than ever before," Senga said.

The transition from subsistence livelihoods, based on slashandburn agriculture, to a more settled agricultural market economy has not always been easy for many households, but families report their food security has notably improved since their move, the ADB said in a statement.

The ADB is among more than 20 financiers, including the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, and Agence Francaise du Developpement, who provided $1.43 billion for the Nam Theun II project.

Electricite De France International, Electricity Generating Public Company (Thailand) and the Lao government jointly own the Nam Theun II Power Company.

The project has displaced 6,200 indigenous people on the Nakai Plateau and affected more than 100,000 living downstream of the Xe Bang Fai River in central Khammuan province, conservation group International Rivers said.

Civic groups and individuals from 18 countries wrote to the World Bank and ADB this week calling on them to take immediate action to ensure sustainable livelihoods for the affected communities.

People on the Nakai Plateau have no means of making a living which is threatening their food security since poor quality land in the resettlement sites is not suitable for agriculture, longterm production of reservoir fisheries is in doubt, and outsiders are encroaching on the community forest areas, they said.

People living downstream of the Xe Bang Fai River are already suffering from badquality water and reduced fish stocks as well as major floods during the wet season because the dam releases extra water in their area, director of the mekong Energy and Ecology Network Witoon Permpongsacharoen said.

However, developers claim that thanks to their investment in environment and the resettlement scheme, the Nam Theun II dam would set high standards for other hydropower projects in the mekong basin.

Witoon argued that[in the light of] "proposals for dams in mekong River's mainstream and other ongoing dams in the region, such as those by China, it is highly questionable if the Nam Theun II has resulted in any improvements to the environment and social standards as claimed by the World Bank and ADB".

-- The Nation 2010-12-10

[brahmburgers]

I would have thought the World Bank would be more progressive thinking, but it appears they're stuck in old ways of thinking: 'Electricity by any means is good,' etc. The older I get, the more I'm against dams.

Dams, in general, are better than coal or fossil fuel or nuclear, but there are still some serious drawbacks to putting in dams. First off is displacement of people. Second, but just as important (and rarely mentioned) is the knocking out of habitat for other species. World Bank and other investors are trying valiantly to put a happy face on the dam, but there are some grave drawbacks that they're either not acknowledging, or trying to sweep under the rug. Concentrated Solar is the way of the future.

It's sad that Laos, which already has a low density of population, is suffering from the bloated needs of Thais for electricity. It's doubly sad that Thais are notorious for wasting electricity. Show me any town or city in Thailand, and I'll show you innumerable instances of gross wastage. 99% of Thais either know nothing of conserving energy, or don't give a dam_n. Indeed, they don't give a dam either, but are happy to get one given to despoil their neighbor's property.

Edited December 11, 2010 by brahmburgers

[jaideeguy]

Would like to see a map of the dam project........it's upstream of the golden triangle or downstream??

[Sydebolle]

Would like to see a map of the dam project........it's upstream of the golden triangle or downstream??

Well, it's FAR downstream of the Golden Triangle. Take a Thailand map and look for Nongkhai (opposite the Lao capital Vientiane). Then follow the Mekong river to the Thai city of Nakorn Phanom; accross the mekong river you'll find the Lao city-village called Thakaek. From there follow the road east (towards Vietnam) until you hit a village calle Glommaraj (or written Khlommarat or similar); that's where the Nakai plateau starts. From Glommaraj the entire northwester part; approx. the size of Singapore, is today's Nam Theun II area.

Ecologically speaking it is not good but much worse is the lignite power station which will go up in the northwestern city of Hongsa (Xaiyabouli province). 600 million tons of low quality lignite will create havoc to environment and people a like; going online with 1'800 MW in 2015.

[mikecwm]

The older I get, the more I'm against dams.

Dams, in general, are better than coal or fossil fuel or nuclear,

So do you have any other suggestions for electricity production?

Europes experience with wind is becoming a laughing matter - expensive and useless when they really need it - dead of winter when it's freezing and there's no wind.

It seems that in the tropics there is either little wind - or too much.

Solar? Maybe in 30 to 40 years when production costs make it viable.

I currently live in BC Canada where 95% of our electrical production is from dams. If they are build right they seem to be the best option available.

Or maybe SE Asia should just forget about the benefits of electricity and stay undeveloped.