Southeast Asia / key documents

International Rivers and Mekong Watch sent a letter on commercial operation of Nam Theun 2 Hydropower Project in Lao PDR to the President of the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank on March 26, 2010.

An assessment of the Theun-Hinboun Expansion Project’s compliance with Equator Principles and Lao law

Laos has declared it a national priority to catalyze the country's development through the rapid construction of large dams that export high-risk hydropower to neighboring Thailand and Vietnam.

The Mekong region is enjoying a period of stability and rapid economic growth not experienced for centuries. As a result, the region demands increasing quantities of electricity, and exploiting its hydropower potential is high on the agenda. In contrast to the recent past, it is project developers and financiers from Asia rather than the West that are spearheading this hydropower drive. Yet, in a region where millions of people depend on the natural resources that rivers provide, many proposed dams pose risks for the environment, communities, project developers, and host governments.

This chapter outlines the current trends and main actors in hydropower development throughout the Mekong Region. It identifies the need for better planning practices and internationally recognized standards of best practice in the power sector. This will minimize project investment risks, and make certain that development in the Mekong Region is sustainable and equitable.

The Mekong River is a changing kaleidoscope of cultures,geography and plant and animal life. For most of its journey: a fast-flowing, meandering waterway that forms the heart and soul of mainland Southeast Asia.