Letter Calls on China Southern Power Grid to pull out of Southeast Asia Dams

In April 2008, China Southern Power Grid Company (CSG) initiated an Initial Public Offering (IPO) process for the Shanghai stock exchange. On 30 May 2008, International Rivers, the Burma Rivers Network, and the Rivers Coalition in Cambodia sent a letter to CSG calling on it to commit to an environmental and social policy that meets international standards, to address the impacts from its exisiting projects, and to withdraw from several proposed projects that have high social and environmental cost, before moving forward with an IPO.

In particular, the letter calls for CSG to pull out of the Sambor, Stung Cheay Areng, Myitsone, and Salween hydropower projects, conduct an independent study of the feasibility and impact of Nam Tha 1, and ensure that people affected by the Shweli 1 Project receive fair compensation and a share in the project's benefits.