Hydropower in the Mekong River Basin
The estimated hydropower potential of the lower Mekong Basin (i.e., excluding China) is 30,000 MW,[1][2] while that of the upper Mekong Basin is 28,930 MW.[3] In the lower Mekong, more than 3,235 MW has been realized via facilities built largely over the past ten years, while projects under construction will represent an additional 3,209 MW. An additional 134 projects are planned for the lower Mekong, which will maximize the river's hydropower generating capacity.[4] 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.[5]
Given current development trends in the region, power demands are expected to rise seven percent per year between 2010 and 2030,[2] yielding a substantial and potentially lucrative energy market. Hydropower is the favoured energy option for the Mekong's riparian countries.[6][7]
The development of the Mekong River Basin is highly controversial,[8][9] 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.[10][11][12]
Existing hydropower infrastructure[]
Table 1: Commissioned dams in the Mekong River Basin (15 MW installed capacity and above)[13]
Hydropower infrastructure under construction[]
 | This article needs to be updated. (August 2018) |
Table 2: Hydropower dams under construction in the Mekong River Basin (15 MW installed capacity and above)[13]
| Project | Country | River | Location | Expected Commissioning Year | Installed capacity (MW) | Mean Annual Energy (GWh) | Height (m) | Crest length (m) | Total storage (million m3) | Max reservoir area (km2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dahuaqiao |  |
Mekong | 26°18′29″N 99°08′21″E / 26.308096°N 99.139288°E | 2018 | 920 | 4,070 | 106 | 231.5 | 293 | |
| Huangdeng | |
Mekong | 26°32′54″N 99°06′46″E / 26.548199°N 99.112669°E | 2018 | 1,900 | 8,578 | 203 | 457 | 1,613 | |
| Lidi | |
Mekong | 27°50′53″N 99°01′50″E / 27.848016°N 99.030555°E | 2019 | 420 | 1,753 | 75 | 346.4 | 75 | 3.7 |
| Luozhahe 2 | |
Luo Zha He | 24°29′13″N 100°24′08″E / 24.486867°N 100.402128°E | 2017[needs update] | 50 | 225 | 71 | 3,391 | ||
| Miaowei | |
Mekong | 25°51′15″N 99°09′47″E / 25.854121°N 99.163155°E | 2017[needs update][14] | 1,400 | 5,999 | 140 | 660 | ||
| Wunonglong | |
Mekong | 27°55′57″N 98°56′00″E / 27.932554°N 98.9333°E | 2019 | 990 | 4,116 | 138 | 247 | 284 | |
| Ganlanba | |
Mekong | 21°50′38″N 100°56′17″E / 21.843867°N 100.937917°E | 2018[needs update][15] | 155 | 1,177 | 60.5 | 458 | 577 | 58 |
| Don Sahong |  |
Mekong | 13°57′22″N 105°57′51″E / 13.956223°N 105.964247°E | 2019 | 240[16] | 2,000 | 25 | 6,800 | 25 | 2.2 |
| Houay Por | |
Houay Pore | 15°32′44″N 106°15′24″E / 15.545605°N 106.256763°E | unknown[needs update] | 15 | 60 | 6 | 0.76 | ||
| Nam Bi 1 | |
Nam Bi | 15°14′08″N 107°30′57″E / 15.23565°N 107.515959°E | 2021 | 50 | 210 | 25 | 84 | 3 | 0.0273 |
| Nam Bi 2 | |
Nam Bi | 15°12′44″N 107°32′27″E / 15.212256°N 107.540761°E | 2021 | 68 | 288.5 | 47.5 | 182.5 | 10 | 0.64 |
| Nam Chian 1 | |
Nam Ngiep | 19°08′43″N 103°33′26″E / 19.145395°N 103.557259°E | 2017[needs update] | 104 | 448 | 69 | 367 | ||
| Nam Kong 2 | |
Nam Kong | 14°29′41″N 106°51′24″E / 14.494672°N 106.856669°E | 2021 | 66 | 264 | 50 | 210 | 71.4 | 4.2 |
| Nam Kong 3 | |
Nam Kong | 14°33′59″N 106°54′45″E / 14.566338°N 106.912551°E | 2017[needs update] | 45 | 170 | 50.5 | |||
| Nam Ngiep 1 | |
Nam Ngiep | 18°38′45″N 103°33′06″E / 18.6458578°N 103.5516582°E | 2019 | 272 | 1,546 | 167 | 530 | 1,192 | 67 |
| Nam Ngiep 2C | |
Nam Ngiep | 19°12′48″N 103°21′28″E / 19.21347°N 103.357806°E | 2020 | 45 | 230 | ||||
| Nam Ngiep (Downstream) | |
Nam Ngiep | 18°38′51″N 103°31′00″E / 18.64747°N 103.516607°E | 2019 | 18 | 105 | 20 | 90 | 4.6 | 1.27 |
| Nam Ngum 1 Extension | |
Nam Ngum | 18°31′40″N 102°31′51″E / 18.527772°N 102.530765°E | 2017[needs update] | 120 | |||||
| Nam Ou 1 | |
Nam Ou | 20°05′18″N 102°15′55″E / 20.0883°N 102.265379°E | 2020 | 160 | 710 | 65 | 442 | 89.1 | 9.56 |
| Nam Ou 3 | |
Nam Ou | 20°41′43″N 102°39′55″E / 20.695251°N 102.665404°E | 2020 | 150 | 685 | 72 | 340 | 168.6 | 13.26 |
| Nam Ou 4 | |
Nam Ou | 21°07′13″N 102°29′39″E / 21.120153°N 102.494173°E | 2020 | 116 | 524 | 47 | 300 | 124 | 9.37 |
| Nam Ou 7 | |
Nam Ou | 22°04′40″N 102°15′52″E / 22.07779°N 102.264436°E | 2020 | 190 | 811 | 147 | 825 | 1,494 | 38.16 |
| Nam Pha Gnai | |
Nam Pha Gnai | 19°00′48″N 102°15′52″E / 19.013318°N 102.264436°E | 2016[needs update] | 19.2 | 130 | 1.5 | |||
| Nam San 3A | |
Nam San | 19°07′45″N 103°39′47″E / 19.129054°N 103.663052°E | unknown[needs update] | 69 | 278.4 | 75 | 350 | 123 | 8.5 |
| Nam Tha 1 | |
Nam Tha | 20°14′58″N 100°53′33″E / 20.249467°N 100.892433°E | 2018 | 168 | 759.4 | 93.7 | 349.2 | 1,755 | |
| Xayaburi | |
Mekong | 19°15′14″N 101°48′49″E / 19.254006°N 101.813699°E | 2019 | 1,285 | 6,035 | 48 | 810 | 1,300 | 49 |
| Xekaman-Sanxay | |
Xe Kaman | 14°53′27″N 107°07′10″E / 14.890823°N 107.119451°E | 2017[needs update] | 32 | 123 | 28 | 180 | ||
| Xepian-Xenamnoy | |
Xepian/Xenamnoy | 14°56′47″N 106°37′39″E / 14.946382°N 106.627369°E | 2018 | 410 | 1,880 | 75.5 | 1,778 | 1,092 | 50 |
| Xeset 3 | |
Xe Don | 15°20′32″N 106°18′40″E / 15.342113°N 106.31115°E | 2020 | 20 | 74 | ||||
| Battambang 1 |  |
Sangker | 12°48′17″N 102°54′44″E / 12.804805°N 102.912094°E | 2017[needs update] | 24 | 123 | 49.5 | 4,200 | ||
| Lower Sesan 2 | |
Sesan | 13°33′05″N 106°15′50″E / 13.551408°N 106.263841°E | 2018 | 400 | 2,312 | 45 | 7,729 | 1,790 | 335 |
Planned hydropower infrastructure[]
| This article needs to be updated. (August 2018) |
The CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems, which monitors dams development in the Mekong Region, distinguishes between "planned" dams—those for which bureaucratic processes to license, or enable the dam to be constructed (for example, feasibility studies, concession agreements, environmental impact assessments, power purchase agreements and other government authorisations); and "proposed" dams that have been suggested, but for which these processes have not commenced.
Table 3: Planned and Proposed Hydropower dams in the Mekong River Basin (15 MW installed capacity and above)[13]
| Country | No. Planned dams | No. Proposed dams |
|---|---|---|
| Cambodia | 12 | 0 |
| China | 11 | 2 |
| Laos | 43 | 20 |
| Myanmar | 7 | 0 |
| Thailand | 7 | 0 |
| Vietnam | 1 | 1 |
| Totals | 74 | 23 |
Proposed mainstream dams[]
| This article needs to be updated. (August 2018) |
Table 4: Dams on the Mekong Mainstream[13]
| Project | Country | Location | Expected Commissioning Year | Installed capacity (MW) | Mean Annual Energy (GWh) | Height (m) | Crest length (m) | Total storage (million m3) | Max reservoir area (km2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ban Kum | |
15°25′04″N 105°35′15″E / 15.417881°N 105.587364°E | 2030 | 1,872 | 8,434 | 53 | 780 | 132.5 | |
| Dongzhong | |
31°52′22″N 96°59′24″E / 31.872777°N 96.99°E | Proposed. COD Unknown. | 108 | 41.2 | ||||
| Gushui | |
28°36′31″N 98°44′46″E / 28.608683°N 98.746133°E | COD Unknown. | 2,600 | 8,337 | 310 | 540 | 3,912 | |
| Guxue | |
29°10′59″N 98°36′24″E / 29.18295°N 98.6067°E | Planned. COD Unknown. | 1,700 | 7,816 | 229 | 599 | 7,752 | |
| Kagong | |
30°37′21″N 97°26′40″E / 30.622567°N 97.444417°E | Planned. COD Unknown. | 240 | 1,264 | 97 | 237 | 81.4 | |
| Latsua | |
15°19′53″N 105°34′58″E / 15.33146°N 105.582803°E | 2023 | 800 | 3,504 | 22 | 1,300 | 13 | |
| Lin Chang | |
31°10′49″N 97°11′07″E / 31.1804°N 97.1852°E | Planned. COD Unknown. | 72 | 362 | 38 | 9 | ||
| Luangprabang | |
20°04′00″N 102°11′32″E / 20.06663°N 102.192339°E | 2030 | 1,200 | 6,500 | 57.5 | 318 | 1,589.5 | 72.4 |
| Pak Beng | |
19°50′38″N 101°00′59″E / 19.843927°N 101.016502°E | 2022 | 912 | 4,846 | 85 | 943 | 87 | |
| Pak Lay | |
18°19′39″N 101°31′50″E / 18.327581°N 101.530575°E | 2030 | 1,320 | 4,252 | 35 | 630 | 108 | |
| Ru Mei | |
29°39′00″N 98°20′52″E / 29.649933°N 98.3477°E | Planned. COD Unknown. | 2,100 | 10,582 | 315 | 724 | 3,602 | |
| Sambor | |
12°47′13″N 105°56′19″E / 12.786849°N 105.938582°E | after 2020[needs update] | 2,600 | 11,749 | 56 | 18,002 | 3,794 | 620 |
| Sanakham | |
17°49′45″N 101°33′25″E / 17.829183°N 101.556969°E | 2024 | 700 | 5,015 | 25 | 1,144 | 81 | |
| Santhong-Pakchom | |
18°12′04″N 102°03′02″E / 18.201038°N 102.050588°E | Planned. COD Unknown. | 1,079 | 5,052 | 55 | 1,200 | 80.3 | |
| Stung Treng | |
13°18′09″N 105°14′44″E / 13.302404°N 105.245516°E | Planned. COD unknown. | 980 | 4,870 | 22 | 10,884 | 70 (active) | 211 |
| Yue Long | |
30°52′05″N 97°20′50″E / 30.868008°N 97.347124°E | Planned. COD Unknown. | 129 | 644 | 60.7 | 377 |
COD = Commercial Operating Date.
Environmental impacts[]
A study by the Mekong River Commission (MRC)[17] presented at the Third MRC International Conference in March 2018, concluded that hydropower development on the Mekong River will aggravate food insecurity and poverty in the region. The report forecasts that Thailand is expected to suffer the most economically and ecologically. According to the report, full scale dam development will decrease GDP growth for lower Mekong basin countries by US$29 billion. Thailand would have the greatest economic loss, as much as US$11 billion. Laos and Cambodia would each face losses of US$9 billion in GDP growth. Native fish stocks would be particularly hard hit: more than 900,000 tonnes of fish biomass, worth US$4.3 billion, would disappear by 2040 from the Mekong as a result of dams. Thailand would have the highest rate of fish loss, 55 percent, followed by Laos, 50 percent; Cambodia, 35 percent; and Vietnam, 30 percent. The creation of reservoirs would result in many parts of the Mekong becoming a lake ecosystem, unsuitable for many native aquatic species of the river environment and will eventually drive them to extinction.[18] A Lao government executive dismissed the research findings as "just an estimation". He insisted that hydropower dams were crucial to solving poverty and that they would provide large economic benefits to the entire region.[19][20] Effective from 4 March 2021, a decree issued by the government of Laos requires all hydropower operators to inform authorities whenever dam reservoirs reach full capacity or when river levels fall to a critical level. The new guidelines aim to improve the management of hydropower dams and minimize flooding and water shortages.[21]
See also[]
- Mekong
- Mekong Delta
- Stung Sen River
- Se San River
- Tonle Sap
- Nam Ngum Dam
- International Rivers
- Mekong River Commission
- Yali Falls Dam
- Greater Mekong Sub-region Academic and Research Network
- GMS Environment Operations Center
References[]
- ^ "Mekong Mainstream Dams". International Rivers. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Mekong River Commission (2010). "State of the Basin Report, 2010" (PDF). MRC, Vientiane, Laos.
- ^ J. Dore; Y. Xiaogang; K. Yuk-shing (2007). "China's energy reforms and hydropower expansion in Yunnan". In L. Lebel; J. Dore; R. Daniel; Y.S. Koma (eds.). Democratizing Water Governance in the Mekong Region. Chiang Mai: Silkworm Books. pp. 55–92. ISBN 978-9749511251.
- ^ Mekong River Commission (2005). "Overview of the Hydrology of the Mekong Basin" (PDF). MRC, Vientiane, Laos.
- ^ CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food. "CPWF Mekong". Archived from the original on April 28, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
- ^ "Cambodian Villagers Petition Chinese Embassy to Scrap Dam Projects". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ Nijhuis, Michelle. "Harnessing the Mekong or Killing It?". National Geographic. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ "Thousands Call for Regional Governments to Save the Mekong". International Rivers. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ "Neighbors on Alert as China Releases Deluge of Water from Mekong Dam". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ "'I Will Lose My Identity': Cambodian Villagers Face Displacement By Mekong Dam". NPR.org. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ "A Dangerous Trajectory for the Mekong River". International Rivers. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
- ^ Yeophantong, Pichamon. "China's Lancang Dam Cascade and Transnational Activism in the Mekong Region: Who's Got the Power?". Asian Survey. 54 (4): 700–24. doi:10.1525/as.2014.54.4.700.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "WLE, 2016. Dataset on the Dams of the Irrawaddy, Mekong, Red and Salween River Basins. Vientiane, Lao PDR: CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems - Greater Mekong". CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems (Greater Mekong). Retrieved 2018-04-04.
- ^ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2016-11-01/a-waterfight-like-no-other-may-be-brewing-over-asia-s-rivers
- ^ https://www.internationalrivers.org/sites/default/files/attached-files/mekong_mainstream_damsupdate_2017_english.pdf
- ^ Intralawan, Apisom; Wood, David; Frankel, Richard (March 2017). "Economic Evaluation of Hydropower Projects in the Lower Mekong Basin" (PDF). Mekong River Commission (MRC). p. 10. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
- ^ http://www.mrcmekong.org/
- ^ Rujivanarom, Pratch (19 July 2019). "Aquatic life faces extinction as upstream dams leave Mekong River dry". The Nation. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
- ^ Rujivanarom, Pratch (4 April 2018). "Mekong River dams 'will harm food security'". The Nation. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
- ^ Boyle, David; Narin, Sun (5 April 2018). "Mekong Leaders Mostly Mum on Risks Tied to Intense Damming". VOA. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
- ^ "Laos issues new decree on dams aimed at minimising harm". February 25, 2021.
External links[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dams in the Mekong River Basin. |
- 3S Rivers Protection Network
- Australian Mekong Resource Centre
- Cambodia National Mekong Committee
- Department of Energy Business (DEB), Ministry of Energy and Mines (Lao PDR)
- Department of Water Resources (Thailand)
- Electricité du Laos Archived 2010-11-22 at the Wayback Machine
- 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 Wetlands Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use Programme
- 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
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