China Southern Power Grid

China Southern Power Grid (CSG) is a state-owned company that transmits and distributes electrical power in China’s southern provinces. Though CSG does not build dams in China, in recent years CSG and its subsidiaries have become key investors in dam projects in neighboring Southeast Asian countries. And in an effort to raise further capital, CSG has applied to list on the Shanghai stock exchange.

International Rivers and our Southeast Asia partners are concerned that CSG has not yet demonstrated that it can be a responsible global company. CSG should take measurable steps to improve its social and environmental performance in its overseas investments. As a state-owned enterprise, CSG should set a high bar for social and environmental standards in its projects, as called for in China’s Guidelines on Fulfilling Social Responsibility by Central Enterprises.

CSG’s involvement in the following dams threaten local populations and critical ecosystems:

• a cascade of four dams on the main stem of the Salween River in Burma;
• a dam on Burma’s Shweli River;
• the Myitsone Hydropower Project in Burma;
• the Sambor Hydropower Project on the main stem of the Mekong River in Cambodia;
• the Stung Cheay Areng Hydropower Project in Cambodia;
• the Nam Tha 1 Hydropower Project in Laos.
  

International Rivers and our partners in Southeast Asia have asked CSG not to move forward with the Salween, Myitsone, Sambor, and Stung Cheay Areng dams (see CSG letter and our follow-up letter). We have asked that CSG conduct an independent study of the feasibility and impact of the Nam Tha 1 dam. In addition, we have asked CSG to ensure that people affected by the Shweli 1 Project receive fair compensation as well as a share in the project's benefits.

LATEST ADDITIONS:

China: Not the Rogue Dam Builder We Feared It would Be?

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

Can New Chinese Investment Policies Save the Siamese Crocodile?

China Southern Power Grid’s 2007 “Corporate Social Responsibility Report”

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

CONTACT US:

Grace Mang
grace [at] internationalrivers [dot] org
+1 510 848 1155