Laos: Mekong dam given green light despite ecologists' fears

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LAOS
Mekong dam given green light despite ecologists' fears
Supalak Ganjanakhundee
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Conservationists cried foul yesterday as the Lao government decided to go ahead with the Don Sahong Dam on the Mekong River.

The hydropower project, to be built in the Siphandone area of southern Champasak Province, could block the only channel available for dry-season fish migration on the Mekong, thereby threatening the world's largest inland fishery, said a Thailand-based conservationist group.

The run-of-the-river dam will operate year-round and produce 260 megawatts of electricity, mostly for domestic consumption.

In its notification, submitted to the mekong River Commission (MRC) Secretariat on September 30, Lao authorities provided a complete technical feasibility study, including social and environmental impact assessments and a fisheries study for the project, which will be shared with the other MRC member countries - Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam.

Construction work is expected to start in November 2013 and finish by February 2018, with the dam set to begin operating in May 2018.

"Laos submitted the project as an intra-basin water use on the Hou Sahong channel under the process of notification. This will enable the member countries to foresee the project's water use and any impact stemming from this," said Hans Guttman, CEO of the MRC Secretariat.

Notification is a process required by the 1995 mekong Agreement for year-round intra-basin water-use projects and inter-basin diversion projects on the Mekong's tributaries, and for wet-season water use on the mainstream.

Lao Energy Vice Minister Viraphonh Viravong earlier told The Nation that the Don Sahong Dam is too small to cause any serious environmental impact on the mekong River. It would generate electricity only for local consumption in the southern region of the country. "In the Lao language, we call it 'hou' Sahong, meaning we put generators at a hole in the river to get electricity. We don't block the river to create a big reservoir," he said.

However, a group of Thailand-based conservationists yesterday called on Laos to stop the project.

"Laos is once again attempting to evade its responsibilities, while forcing the public in the whole region to pay for the immense damage that the Don Sahong Dam will cause," said Teerapong Pomun of Thailand's Living Rivers Siam Association. "Laos must cancel this project, along with the other mainstream dams, before it's too late."

In a 2007 review of the Don Sahong Dam's environmental impact assessment (EIA) report, the MRC stated that the project was subject to "prior consultation", as the dam is located on the mainstream since its inflow does not comes from a tributary. During an MRC Informal Donors Meeting held in June, 10 international donors, including the European Union, Japan and the US, asked the Lao government to share Don Sahong Dam's EIA report and submit the project for prior consultation.

"If the MRC fails to clamp down on Laos, it will be failing its mandate and will lose any validity they have left as an organisation," said Ame Trandem of the conservationist NGO International Rivers.

In addition to the Don Sahong Dam, 41 projects on the tributaries of the mekong have so far been submitted for the notification process - three in Cambodia, 17 in Laos, two in Thailand and 19 in Vietnam.

The Xayaburi Dam, which is now under construction, is the only one so far to have been proposed on the mainstream and therefore submitted for the prior consultation process.


-- The Nation 2013-10-05

[phuketrichard]

That will be the end of 4,000 islands in Southern Lao, not to mention the negative effects it will cause in Cambodia,

seems Laos has sold out their future

[hellodolly]

Was there ever any doubt about it being built. Laos is more corrupt than Thailand.

[rnw]

One just should never expect a commie regime like laos can do human things... lao Communiste officers can embezzle‎ million million euros for their families and relatives from such environmental damaging projects, thus their sons and daughters can afford stuidies in france while living a luxury life in france... french authorities never cares

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Sahong_Dam

Edited October 5, 2013 by rnw

[Dap]

Was there ever any doubt about it being built. Laos is more corrupt than Thailand.

China runs it outright!

[rnw]

http://www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/confirms-07312013151754.html

looks like laos commie now can start the project ahead of their previous schedule 2014

[Paangjang]

Very interesting. Worth 20 minutes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zwK9YP046g

[Paangjang]

That will be the end of 4,000 islands in Southern Lao, not to mention the negative effects it will cause in Cambodia,

seems Laos has sold out their future

& the end of the migratory giant catfish

[rnw]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekong_giant_catfish

www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/dams-06192013184629.html‎

[rnw]

http://asiancorrespondent.com/104156/laos-development-wins-human-rights-environment-lose/

shame for those scientists woking for lao ministry of Natural Resources &Environment

[rnw]

The Lao economy has been growing at around 8 percent, driven by mining and hydropower.

Inflation higher than growth

However, the government will stand by its commitment to increase officials' monthly salary by almost 40 percent

http://www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/economy-10042013220107.html

laos kip deserves to be devalued soon

[rnw]

www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/teachers-10102013185425.html

Lao Teachers Face Three Months of Late Wages while lao commie still has cash for building dams, commie 're eager to see teachers going hungar for work...