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]

Ubol Ratana Dam in Thailand

Pak Mun Dam

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]

Project	Country	River	Location	Commissioned	Installed capacity (MW)	Mean Annual Energy (GWh)	Height (m)	Crest length (m)	Total storage (million m^3)	Max reservoir area (km^2)
Dachaoshan		Mekong	24.024947°N 100.3703°E	2003	1,350	5,500	115	481	890	26.25
Gongguoqiao		Mekong	25.585917°N 99.335567°E	2012	900	4,041	105	356	316	343
Nuozhadu		Mekong	22.642128°N 100.436336°E	2014	5,850	23,912	262	608	23,703	320
Jinghong		Mekong	22.053206°N 100.766478°E	2009	1,750	5,570	108	705.5	1,140	510
Manwan		Mekong	24.622086°N 100.448544°E	1995	1,570	6,710	132	418	920	415
Xiaowan		Mekong	24.7042226°N 100.091255°E	2010	4,200	18,990	295	893	14,560	194
Jinfeng		Nan La He	21.592026°N 101.225135°E	1998	16	64.3	45		19.48
Jinhe		Jin He	30.806181°N 97.332926°E	2004	60	367	34	68.4	4.27
Guoduo		Mekong	31.529089°N 97.191279°E	2015	160	823	93	235.5	83
Laoyinyan		Gua Lan Zi He/Shun Dian He	24.469128°N 99.81754°E	1997	16		4.2		1,092
Nanhe 1		Luo Zha He	24.342442°N 100.012183°E	2009	40	170	56.8	148	11.36
Nanhe 2		Luo Zha He	24.377086°N 100.050098°E	?	25	100
Luozhahe 1		Luo Zha He	24.505207°N 100.451749°E	2016	30	135	59		14.33
Xi'er He 1		Xi'er He	25.578801°N 100.202419°E	1979	105	440
Xi'er He 2		Xi'er He	25.561991°N 100.131191°E	1987	50		37	122	0.2
Xi'er He 3		Xi'er He	25.558584°N 100.107878°E	1988	50	223	21
Xi'er He 4		Xi'er He	25.576262°N 100.065574°E	1971					14
XunCun		Hei Hui Jiang	25.421835°N 99.993301°E	1999	78	345	67	165	74
Houay Ho		Houayho/Xekong	15.059464°N 106.764377°E	1999	152	450	79		3,530	37
Houay Lamphan		Xekong	15.356153°N 106.501106°E	2015	88	480	77	74.5	140	9
Nam Beng		Nam Beng	19.946436°N 101.237563°E	2014	36	145	25.5	84.8	3,611	0.7
Nam Khan 2		Nam Khan	19.685364°N 102.369791°E	2015	130	558	160	405		30.5
Nam Khan 3		Nam Khan	19.747016°N 102.222793°E	2016	88	480	77	74.5	140	9
Nam Leuk		Nam Leuk/Nam Ngum	18.437406°N 102.94675°E	2000	60	215	51.5	800	185	17.2
Nam Lik 1-2		Nam Lik	18.793782°N 102.116714°E	2010	100	435	103	328	11	24.4
Nam Mang 1		Nam Mang	18.53423°N 103.196286°E	2016	64	225	70	280	16.5	0.148
Nam Mang 3		Nam Gnogn	18.349383°N 102.765244°E	2004	40	150	28	151	49	10
Nam Ngiep 2		Nam Ngiep	19.299877°N 103.352263°E	2015	180	732
Nam Ngiep 3A		Nam Ngiep	19.243546°N 103.283913°E	2014	44	152				1.8
Nam Ngum 1		Nam Ngum	18.531068°N 102.547577°E	1971	148.7	1,006	75	468	4,700	370
Nam Ngum 2		Nam Ngum	18.755374°N 102.776476°E	2011	615	2,300	182	421	3,590	122.2
Nam Ngum 5		Nam Ngum	19.356095°N 102.621196°E	2012	120	507	99	235	314	15
Nam Theun 2		Nam Theun/Xe Bangfai	17.997353°N 104.952306°E	2010	1,075	5,936	48	325	3,500	450
Nam Ou 2		Nam Ou	20.411698°N 102.472817°E	2016	120	546	49	352	121.7	15.7
Nam Ou 5		Nam Ou	21.411349°N 102.344263°E	2016	240	1,049	74		335	17.22
Nam Ou 6		Nam Ou	21.411349°N 102.344263°E	2016	180	739	88		409	17.01
Theun-Hinboun		Nam Theun	18.261005°N 104.562525°E	1998	220	1,645	48	810	1,300	49
Theun-Hinboun Expansion Project		Nam Gnouang	18.297248°N 104.636171°E	2013	222	1,395	65	480	2,450	49
Xe Kaman 3		Xe Kaman	15.425194°N 107.362611°E	2014	250	1,000	102	543	141.5	5.2
Xeset 1		Xeset	15.49200°N 106.27867°E	1994	45	154	18	124
Xeset 2		Xeset	15.403775°N 106.280332°E	2009	76	309	26	144
A Luoi		A Sap	16.197619°N 107.161897°E	2012	170	686	49.5	208
Buon Kuop		Sre Pok	12.52504°N 107.925762°E	2009	280	1,455				47
Buon Tua Sra		Se San/Krong Po Ko	12.282116°N 108.041299°E	2009	86	359				41
Dray Hlinh 2		Sre Pok	12.6757°N 107.903978°E	2007	16	85
Plei Krong		Se San/Krong Po Ko	14.408227°N 107.862991°E	2008	100	479	65	745	1,049	53
Sesan 3		Sesan	14.215816°N 107.722061°E	2006	260	1,224	79			6.4
Sesan 3A		Sesan	14°12′55.13″N 107°43′20.15″E	2007	96
Sesan 4		Sesan	14°6′23.02″N 107°39′28.08″E	2009	360	60			54
Sre Pok 3		Sre Pok	12°45′2.78″N 107°52′34.32″E	2009	220	52.5
Yali Falls		Sesan	14°13′38.93″N 107°49′46.55″E	2001	720	65	1,460	1,037	64.5
Chulabhorn		Nam Phrom	16.536267°N 101.650036°E	1972	40	93	70	700	165	31
Pak Mun		Mun	15.2818942°N 105.468058°E	1994	136	280	17	300
Sirindhorn		Lam Dom Noi	15.206339°N 105.429156°E	1971	36	86	42	940	1,967	288
Ubol Ratana		Nam Pong	16.775394°N 102.618325°E	1966	25.2	57	35.1	885	2,559	410
Lam Ta Khong		Lam Ta Khong	14.865175°N 101.560303°E	1974	500	400	40.3	251	310	37

Hydropower infrastructure under construction

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 m^3)	Max reservoir area (km^2)
Dahuaqiao		Mekong	26.308096°N 99.139288°E	2018	920	4,070	106	231.5	293
Huangdeng		Mekong	26.548199°N 99.112669°E	2018	1,900	8,578	203	457	1,613
Lidi		Mekong	27.848016°N 99.030555°E	2019	420	1,753	75	346.4	75	3.7
Luozhahe 2		Luo Zha He	24.486867°N 100.402128°E	2017	50	225	71		3,391
Miaowei		Mekong	25.854121°N 99.163155°E	2017[14]	1,400	5,999	140		660
Wunonglong		Mekong	27.932554°N 98.9333°E	2019	990	4,116	138	247	284
Ganlanba		Mekong	21.843867°N 100.937917°E	2018[15]	155	1,177	60.5	458	577	58
Don Sahong		Mekong	13.956223°N 105.964247°E	2019	240[16]	2,000	25	6,800	25	2.2
Houay Por		Houay Pore	15.545605°N 106.256763°E	unknown	15	60	6		0.76
Nam Bi 1		Nam Bi	15.23565°N 107.515959°E	2021	50	210	25	84	3	0.0273
Nam Bi 2		Nam Bi	15.212256°N 107.540761°E	2021	68	288.5	47.5	182.5	10	0.64
Nam Chian 1		Nam Ngiep	19.145395°N 103.557259°E	2017	104	448	69	367
Nam Kong 2		Nam Kong	14.494672°N 106.856669°E	2021	66	264	50	210	71.4	4.2
Nam Kong 3		Nam Kong	14.566338°N 106.912551°E	2017	45	170			50.5
Nam Ngiep 1		Nam Ngiep	18.6458578°N 103.5516582°E	2019	272	1,546	167	530	1,192	67
Nam Ngiep 2C		Nam Ngiep	19.21347°N 103.357806°E	2020	45	230
Nam Ngiep (Downstream)		Nam Ngiep	18.64747°N 103.516607°E	2019	18	105	20	90	4.6	1.27
Nam Ngum 1 Extension		Nam Ngum	18.527772°N 102.530765°E	2017	120
Nam Ou 1		Nam Ou	20.0883°N 102.265379°E	2020	160	710	65	442	89.1	9.56
Nam Ou 3		Nam Ou	20.695251°N 102.665404°E	2020	150	685	72	340	168.6	13.26
Nam Ou 4		Nam Ou	21.120153°N 102.494173°E	2020	116	524	47	300	124	9.37
Nam Ou 7		Nam Ou	22.07779°N 102.264436°E	2020	190	811	147	825	1,494	38.16
Nam Pha Gnai		Nam Pha Gnai	19.013318°N 102.264436°E	2016	19.2	130				1.5
Nam San 3A		Nam San	19.129054°N 103.663052°E	unknown	69	278.4	75	350	123	8.5
Nam Tha 1		Nam Tha	20.249467°N 100.892433°E	2018	168	759.4	93.7	349.2	1,755
Xayaburi		Mekong	19.254006°N 101.813699°E	2019	1,285	6,035	48	810	1,300	49
Xekaman-Sanxay		Xe Kaman	14.890823°N 107.119451°E	2017	32	123	28	180
Xepian-Xenamnoy		Xepian/Xenamnoy	14.946382°N 106.627369°E	2018	410	1,880	75.5	1,778	1,092	50
Xeset 3		Xe Don	15.342113°N 106.31115°E	2020	20	74
Battambang 1		Sangker	12.804805°N 102.912094°E	2017	24	123	49.5	4,200
Lower Sesan 2		Sesan	13.551408°N 106.263841°E	2018	400	2,312	45	7,729	1,790	335

Planned hydropower infrastructure

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

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 m^3)	Max reservoir area (km^2)
Ban Kum		15.417881°N 105.587364°E	2030	1,872	8,434	53	780		132.5
Dongzhong		31.872777°N 96.99°E	Proposed. COD Unknown.	108		41.2
Gushui		28.608683°N 98.746133°E	COD Unknown.	2,600	8,337	310	540	3,912
Guxue		29.18295°N 98.6067°E	Planned. COD Unknown.	1,700	7,816	229	599	7,752
Kagong		30.622567°N 97.444417°E	Planned. COD Unknown.	240	1,264	97	237	81.4
Latsua		15.33146°N 105.582803°E	2023	800	3,504	22	1,300		13
Lin Chang		31.1804°N 97.1852°E	Planned. COD Unknown.	72	362	38		9
Luangprabang		20.06663°N 102.192339°E	2030	1,200	6,500	57.5	318	1,589.5	72.4
Pak Beng		19.843927°N 101.016502°E	2022	912	4,846	85	943		87
Pak Lay		18.327581°N 101.530575°E	2030	1,320	4,252	35	630		108
Ru Mei		29.649933°N 98.3477°E	Planned. COD Unknown.	2,100	10,582	315	724	3,602
Sambor		12.786849°N 105.938582°E	after 2020	2,600	11,749	56	18,002	3,794	620
Sanakham		17.829183°N 101.556969°E	2024	700	5,015	25	1,144		81
Santhong-Pakchom		18.201038°N 102.050588°E	Planned. COD Unknown.	1,079	5,052	55	1,200		80.3
Stung Treng		13.302404°N 105.245516°E	Planned. COD unknown.	980	4,870	22	10,884	70 (active)	211
Yue Long		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]

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

1. "Mekong Mainstream Dams". International Rivers. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
2. Mekong River Commission (2010). "State of the Basin Report, 2010" (PDF). MRC, Vientiane, Laos.
3. 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.
4. Mekong River Commission (2005). "Overview of the Hydrology of the Mekong Basin" (PDF). MRC, Vientiane, Laos.
5. CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food. "CPWF Mekong". Archived from the original on April 28, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
6. "Cambodian Villagers Petition Chinese Embassy to Scrap Dam Projects". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
7. Nijhuis, Michelle. "Harnessing the Mekong or Killing It?". National Geographic. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
8. "Thousands Call for Regional Governments to Save the Mekong". International Rivers. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
9. "Neighbors on Alert as China Releases Deluge of Water from Mekong Dam". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
10. "'I Will Lose My Identity': Cambodian Villagers Face Displacement By Mekong Dam". NPR.org. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
11. "A Dangerous Trajectory for the Mekong River". International Rivers. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
12. 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.
13. "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.
14. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2016-11-01/a-waterfight-like-no-other-may-be-brewing-over-asia-s-rivers
15. https://www.internationalrivers.org/sites/default/files/attached-files/mekong_mainstream_damsupdate_2017_english.pdf
16. 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.
17. http://www.mrcmekong.org/
18. Rujivanarom, Pratch (19 July 2019). "Aquatic life faces extinction as upstream dams leave Mekong River dry". The Nation. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
19. Rujivanarom, Pratch (4 April 2018). "Mekong River dams 'will harm food security'". The Nation. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
20. Boyle, David; Narin, Sun (5 April 2018). "Mekong Leaders Mostly Mum on Risks Tied to Intense Damming". VOA. Retrieved 10 April 2018.

External links

• 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
• 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