Cambodia to suspend hydropower dam plan on Mekong River for 10 years

• 25 March 2020
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Cambodia will suspend hydropower dam plans on the mainstream of the Mekong River for the next decade until 2030 and will look to coal, gas and renewable energy such as solar energy instead.

The decision was made by the Ministry of Mines and Energy to great applause from civil society especially environmental groups and people affected by the project. In supporting this wise decision, the WWF Country Director Teak Seng issued an official statement saying that “Maintaining the lower Mekong in Cambodia free-flowing is the best decision for both people and nature.”

The dam suspension decision was made after Laos recently launched two new dams on the Mekong River six months ago. The country is planning to build a hydropower dam in the Lower Mekong Basin, which can supply power for approximately 60 million people.
Environmentalists have warned that the dams along the Lower Mekong, which is about 2,390 km long, will cause huge harmful impacts on fisheries and farming livelihoods along the river.

“The government is following a study done by a Japanese consultant recommending Cambodia to seek energy sources elsewhere. According to the study, we need to develop coal, LNG imported from neighbouring countries and our own solar energy plants.” Victor Jona, Director General of Energy at Cambodia’s Ministry of Mine and Energy, told Reuters.

“In this 10-Year plan, from 2020 to 2030, we have no plans to develop a mainstream dam,” added Jona.

Previously, Cambodia had announced plans to build two hydropower dams in Kratie and Stung Treng provinces, but both projects are still on hold.

Also, the Cambodian government announced that next year power generated from solar farms will account 15% of total power output in the national grid. This is also a great contribution to climate change mitigation actions of the government. (Read more)

Feature Photo source: The Straits Times

Photo source: opendevelopmentcambodia.net

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