Energy
Dams and sand mining threaten integrity of lower Mekong
At more than 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles), the Mekong is Southeast Asia’s longest river. It runs through six countries, providing food and income for more than 70 million people. But the integrity of the river, and therefore of the livelihood of the people who depend on ...
Vietnam goes solar
With electricity demand in Vietnam growing 12 percent annually, the Vietnamese government has set a goal to generate 265 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity by 2020 and 570 billion kWh of electricity by 2030. This is to meet the surging demand for power resulting from ...
Living in fear along the Mekong
The collapse of a dam at the Xe Pian Xe Namnoy hydropower project in Laos was tragic. Immediate assessments say that 39 people died, many suffered injuries and thousands were left homeless, with their means of income lost for the foreseeable future. Beyond these numbers, ...
Southeast Asia May Be Building Too Many Dams Too Fast
The disaster has brought into focus the ambitious agenda of Laos, one of the region’s poorest countries, to turn itself into “the battery of Southeast Asia” by building dozens of hydroelectric dams on the Mekong River and its tributaries and selling power to neighboring countries. ...
Laos dam collapse: Mekong River projects move forward despite promise to halt and review
Decision to continue work on two huge dams calls into question how serious the government is about reviewing numerous multibillion-dollar hydropower projects after last month’s disaster. Keep reading ...
Developers Press Ahead With Dams, Despite Lao Order to Halt New Hydropower Projects
Developers of two proposed hydropower projects in Laos are pressing ahead with plans to build the mega-dams on the Mekong River, despite a recent order by the government to halt new dam investments following a deadly breach in July that killed 35 people and displaced ...
Laos dam collapse: survivors tell devastating tales as blame shifts to government’s aggressive growth model
As surging waters swallowed the ground floor of Vee Keoheuy’s home, she hoisted herself out the window onto a rickety boat with her husband, children and grandchildren – in the dark. Officials had told her neighbours in Ban Mai that heavy rains required the opening ...
Potential upsides emerge from Lao dam disaster
The July 23 Xe-Pian Xe-Namnoy hydropower dam collapse that left at least 35 dead, 99 missing and 6,000 homeless in Attapeu province in southern Laos was an unprecedented manmade tragedy and wake-up call for the communist-run nation. Keep reading ...
Mekong River Body Welcomes Laos' Decision to Suspend New Dam Projects
The Mekong River Commission welcomed on Wednesday a decision by the Laos government to suspend approval of new dams while reviewing all dams currently under construction following the collapse of part of a hydropower project last month. Keep reading ...
Mekong River Commission starts consultation for Pak Ly project, Lao PDR
A six-month consultation process has begun for the proposed 770MW Pak Lay hydropower project on the Mekong mainstream in Lao PDR, the Mekong River Commission has announced, despite Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith’s recent announcement that investments in new hydropower in the country will be suspended. ...
