The Mekong River Commission delays discussions on Loa’s two hydropower projects

• 8 June 2020
• Construction Focus
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The Mekong River Commission has decided to delay decisions Laos’ two hydropower projects on the Mekong River due to concerns over the environmental impact of Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and others around the Mekong. According to the announcement of the Mekong River Commission on June 5, 2020.

The first hydropower project, the Luang Prabang hydropower project, has a capacity of 1,460 megawatts, which the Lao government proposes to build on the northern Mekong River of Luang Prabang, to be postponed for the prior consultation process till June 30, 2020.

“Due to the concerns and suggestions raised by Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam and other Mekong stakeholders and with the consent of Laos, we have decided to change the date of the ‘Prior-consultation Process’ for the project until the 30th of June.” Dr. Somkiat Prajamwong, Chairman of MRC JC Committee for 2020.

The Luang Prabang hydropower project is the fifth proposed project by the Lao government for the prior consultation process, a process of the Mekong River Commission, since July last year. The process is scheduled to end on April 7 this year, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the MRC’s governing body could only meet in this June 4 to discuss the matters.

The project was developed by Luang Prabang Power Company Limited, a company created by the Lao government and the PetroVietnam Power Corporation under the 2007 MoU.

The second hydropower project, which has been delayed to take place once the Luang Prabang consultation has reached its conclusion, is a 684-megawatt Sanakham project. Sankak Kham is the sixth project proposed for the Mekong River Commission’s prior consultation process. The project, about 155km north of Vientiane, is worth about US$ 2.073 billion, invested by Datang (Lao) Sanakham Hydropower company, a subsidiary of China’s Datang International Power Generation Co. Ltd.

The decision came after Laos opened two new dams, which environmentalists have warned will harm fisheries and farming along the Lower Mekong River, covering an area of ​​2,390 kilometres.

Remarkably, Cambodia has also announced the suspension of the dam on the Mekong River until 2030, and the country will turn to focus on coal, natural gas and solar energy instead.

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• Energy and Environment