1.4b Case study - Mekong River Basin

Question 1

What were the baseline data conditions in the “Mekong River Basin”?

Answer 1

• Covers nearly 5,000 km from its source
• One of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world
  –> 20,000 plant species
  –> 850 fish species
  –> 80% of the 65M ppl living in the Lower Mekong River Basin depend on the river and it’s rich natural resources for their livelihoods.

Question 2

What will the “Nam Theun 2” project include?

Answer 2

• Located in central Laos, on the Nakai plateau
• Hydropower plant

Question 3

Who will the “Nam Theun 2” project benefit?

Answer 3

The power generated by the HEP will benefit both Laos and Thailand as all generated electricity will be sold to Thailand, and Laos is estimated to receive 33m in net annual cash flow.

Question 4

What are the expected impacts this project will have?

Answer 4

• Changes in downstream water quality – effects on river temperature, nutrient load, turbidity, dissolved gases, concentration of heavy metals and minerals
• Reduction of biodiversity due to blocking of movement of organisms and because of above changes
• Imposition of a reservoir in place of a natural river valley (loss of habitat)
• 4,500 people will have to be moved

Question 5

What are the proposed alternatives to the project?

Answer 5

1. No project (no dam is built at all)
2. Use the other large existing hydro power plant (50km further downstream) and sell that energy to Thailand (again, no dam is built!)
3. Alternatives in construction or operation (Changes in construction schedules and methods can be considered to reduce the severity of environmental impacts of specific construction activities)

Question 6

What are some of the benefits from this project?

Answer 6

• Consistent positive net cash flow
• Good political relation with Thailand
• Villagers can be given jobs in the power plant
• Villagers can be compensated for lost revenues from the vegetable gardens they traditionally grow on the riverbanks

Question 7

What are some of the costs of this project?

Answer 7

• Migration of 4,500 people (have to be paid!)
• Environmental impact (biodiversity)
• Increased chance at flooding
  –> impact on agriculture and waterborne diseases becoming more likely!

Question 8

When did the project open for operation?

Answer 8

First entered commercial operation in 2010.

Question 9

What were some of the actual impacts this project had?

Answer 9

By 2015 many had already states that the mega project had “disastrous impacts on people and their environment”
- The flow of water in the river increased significantly, and now affects people living downstream of the release point
–> estimated between 40,000 - 150,000 people
–> examples include: washing away of river bank gardens, changes in water quality and impacts on fisheries
- Eventually 6,300 people were relocated (1800 more than anticipated)
- Provisions of the Concession Agreement and World Bank policies have been violated
–> International monitors have cited the poor environmental performance of the Head Construction Contractor and road-building-subcontractors.

Question 10

What was a small positive that arose from the project?

Answer 10

Three protected areas on the Nakai plateau (spanning 4,100 km2) are now better managed as there are far more resources available to fund it’s protection (60 times more than before the dam was constructed!)