Sinohydro Corporation

China's Leading Hydropower Dam Company

Sinohydro Corporation is China's leading dam builder, having built 70% of China's hydropower capacity. Sinohydro is involved in constructing many controversial big dams within China, such as China’s Three Gorges Project, Xiluodu and Xiangjiaba on the upper Yangtze River (aka Jinsha River), the Xiaowan dam on the upper Mekong River, the Jinping dam on the Yalong River, and the Laxiwa Dam on the upper Yellow River.

Now, Sinohydro is "going out," building dozens of big dams overseas. Media and International Rivers' civil society contacts report that many of these projects not meet basic social and environmental standards. Sinohydro's overseas projects include the Merowe Dam in Sudan, which has displaced thousands, and the Bakun Dam, which will flood important rainforest in Sarawak and harm indigenous rainforest dwellers. Sinohydro is also building the Bui Dam in Ghana, and several projects in Laos and Burma, as well as a growing roster of projects in South Asia.

Sinohydro's reach is expandng. The company will likely be a major player in plans to dam the Mekong River in Southeast Asia and the Gibe IV dam on the Omo River in Ethiopia. Sinohydro may seek to build the world's largest hydropower project - the Grand Inga Dam in Congo. And Sinohydro In total, Sinohydro is building, plans to build, or has built some 80 dam projects in 38 countries outside of China (see Sinohydro Projects list). 

Sinohydro is a state-owned enterprise (SOE), subject to the rules and regulations of China’s State Council and its State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Committee (SASAC). SASAC has urged SOEs to show leadership in social responsibility, including environmental protection. (See International Rivers' New Great Walls, a Guide to China's Overseas Dam Industry for more on laws and regulations pertaining to SOEs and other dam building companies in China.)

International Rivers and our partners in Sinohydro dam-affected communities have urged Sinohydro to adopt an environmental policy reflecting international best practice and to engage in a dialogue with civil socierty in the host countries of its projects. In summer, 2009, Sinohydro responded to International Rivers' request to meet to discuss the company's social responsibility efforts.

LATEST ADDITIONS:

Quality issues pose threat to Sinohydro's global ambitions

Human Costs of Planned Salween Mega-Dam in War-Torn Shan State

Sinohydro response to civil society letter

Civil society letter to Sinohydro

Sinohydro Projects Overseas

CONTACT US:

Nicole Brewer
nicole [at] internationalrivers [dot] org
+1 510 848 1155

Peter Bosshard
peter [at] internationalrivers [dot] org
+1 510 848 1155