Today, the supreme administrative court of thailand hears a case brought by thai villagers against thai agencies for the impacts of the xayaburi dam being built in laos. Political borders, epistemological boundaries, and contested. Xayabury, laos, march 9, 2017 the xayaburi dam, with installed capacity of 1,260 mw, is the first one among 12 mainstream dams on the mekong river. Seven of 175 mw and one of 60 mw generators have been installed to generate electricity for. Nov 06, 2012 laos mekong xayaburi dam plan delayed again. Hydro news editorial office eibesbrunnergasse 20 1120 vienna. We request direct dialogue between the mekong regions governments and peoples representatives through public forums, reads the statement.
Seven of 175 mw and one of 60 mw generators have been installed to generate electricity for sell to thailand and laos pdr. Ngos set oneyear deadline to stop xayaburi dam wwf. While laos is forcefully pressing forward with its xayaburi dam plans. Properities parameter unit w1 w2 w3 w4 w5 w6 standard. Coupled with the reasonable assumption that the mekong drought has causes that are probably multivariate in nature, the evidence appears to suggest that the. The xayaburi dam, will block critical fish migration routes for between 23100 fish species to the mekongs upper stretches as far upstream as chiang saen in northern thailand, an important spawning ground for the critically endangered mekong giant catfish. Xayaburi dam dispels rumors of role in dry mekong river. The xayaburi dam is a runofriver hydroelectric dam on the lower mekong river, approximately 30 kilometres 19 mi east of sainyabuli xayaburi town in northern laos. Modified transboundary water interaction nexus twins. The xayaburi dam is a runofriver hydroelectric dam on the lower mekong river approximately 30 kilometres 19 mi east of sainyabuli xayaburi town in northern laos.
Laos sixth mekong dam plans submitted phnom penh post. Laos has suspended construction on the controversial xayaburi dam on the mekong river following an uproar from neighboring cambodia and environmental groups, a. The xayaburi dam is a runofriver hydroelectric dam on the lower mekong river. In april 2012 a contract was signed for a thai company, ch karnchang, to build the dam.
On november 7, the government of laos held a groundbreaking ceremony to launch construction of the xayaburi dam. Although the rapid joint river development enlarges the pie of benefits, it also deepens existing conflict of interests and motivating downstream countries to use more power to get better control over shared waters. This is in northern laos and about 19 miles to the east of the town of xayaburi. Mekong river jeopardized by xayaburi dam construction, wwf. Laos unprecedented dam building boom has seen around 50 dams built in the last 15 years, with at least 50 more under construction and a further 288 planned for its hundreds of rivers and streams. Ck power company, the construction company behind the xayaburi dam, said that the company raised the water level in. Our results show that 1 there is significant disparity between the official and public attitude towards the xayaburi dam, 2 since 20, the debates about the. The regional reaction to the xayaburi dam project thus far makes clear.
Cambodia, vietnam, and donors challenge laos on mekong. The construction of the immense xayaburi mainstream dam, located in mountainous northern laos, is drastically changing the life of millions of villagers, leading to irreversible, largescale environmental destruction, while creating significant transboundary tensions between the mekong countries laos, cambodia, vietnam and thailand 1. A subsequent report, published in march by the mekong river commission itself, found that, from the xayaburi dam alone, the migrations of anywhere from 23 to 100 species of fish would be restricted, and the rivers iconic giant catfish, which can span 10 ft. The mekong river stretches 4,800 km down to the south china sea, making it the longest river in southeast asia. Laoss controversial xayaburi dam on mekong river begins.
More recently, not only are the benefits of the xayaburi dam being trumpeted in the government public relations paper, the vientiane times, laos is even beginning to launch projects such as the pak beng dam in the north, and the don sahong. The xayaburi dam was the first significant test for the 1995 agreement on the cooperation for the sustainable development of the mekong river basin mekong agreement 3 between cambodia, laos, thailand and vietnam. The lao government has pledged to resolve the environmental issues. If all those proceed, nearly 55% of the river will be converted to slow.
The xayaburi dam in northern laos will start operations on october 29, while the don sahong dam in southern laos champassak province will enter its final testing phase by early november, after. Xayaburi dam hydroelectric dam on mekong stock photo edit. The dam would destroy the rivers complex ecosystems that serve as important fish habitats for local and migratory. The site for the proposed dam, to be called xayaburi, is located in northern laos. If the xayaburi dam is built, it will set a precedent for 10 other hydropower dams proposed for the main stem of the river.
Xayaburi hydropower project prior consultation process. The main purpose of the dam is to produce hydroelectric power, 95% of which is to be purchased by the electricity generating authority of thailand egat. Malaria awareness day anzac day australia and new zealand world penguin day dna. The mekong river comprises six riparian states and supports the livelihood of more than 65 million people.
After xayaburi, its time for some hydrodiplomacy tue, 05 feb 20 the groundbreaking ceremony for the xayaburi dam in laos on nov 7 marked the symbolic end to a long and contentious international campaign to delay the dams construction until further studies into its potential transboundary impacts were complete. Xayaburi dam the mekong river, aptly named the mother of all rivers, forms the heart and soul of mainland southeast asia. The xayaburi dam poses a problem for the mekong rivers fish and the people living beside it. After xayaburi, its time for some hydrodiplomacy iucn. The xayaburi dam, the first of five planned large mekong river mainstream dams in laos, officially began operations tuesday, setting in motion the first major cog in the countrys ambitious but. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple faq for additional information. Today, the supreme administrative court of thailand hears a case brought by thai villagers against thai agencies for the impacts of the xayaburi dam. Then came a slew of negative reports and local complaints.
After xayaburi, its time for some hydrodiplomacy tue, 05 feb 20 the groundbreaking ceremony for the xayaburi dam in laos on nov 7 marked the symbolic end to a long and contentious international campaign to delay the dam s construction until further studies. Mar 29, 2016 the xayaburi hydro power project is a reinforce concrete dam with 810 meters long and 28. Impacts of the xayaburi dam on the mekong river interview. The purpose of the article is to operationalize a new transboundary water. Xayaburi dam the xayaburi dam is a hydropower project under construction on the mekong river in northwest laos, just across the border from nan province, thailand. Amid hydropower boom, laos streams ahead on latest mekong dam. Located in a mountainous valley in northern laos, the proposed xayaburi hydropower dam is the most advanced of eleven large dams planned for the lower. On thursday, june 8, 2017 the thai network of eight mekong provinces filed a lawsuit against relevant thai government agencies for their involvement in the pak beng dam on the mekong river, and the expected transboundary impacts on communities in thailand the pak beng dam is the third dam planned for construction on the lower mekong river mainstream following the xayaburi and. Vietnam and cambodia are asking laos to halt the construction project pending further study, according to the guardian jan. Development plan vii 20162020 5th draft, translation edit 01, online. Mar 30, 2014 ngos set oneyear deadline to stop xayaburi dam posted on 30 march 2014 leading nongovernmental organisations ngos today issued a joint declaration in opposition to ongoing construction of the xayaburi dam on the mekong river mainstem, and called on the thai government to cancel the power purchase agreement relating to the controversial. The sesan, srepok, and sekong 3s rivers dam developments. The xayaburi dam on the mekong river may have to be redesigned to avoid any adverse impact on the environment, a senior lao official says, citing a french. A sad smile flickered across the face of thongkham phalibai, a mother of two and owner of a grocery store in luang prabang.
The mekong river basin of mainland southeast asia is confronting a series of intertwined social, political, and biophysical crises. The xayaburi dam is a large hydroelectric dam, situated right on the banks of the lower mekong river. Work restarts at xayaburi dam in laos project leader reuters. Two large mekong river dams in laos to start operations by. Deputy energy and mines minister viraponh viravong said the project which laos began work on without regional approval in november 2012 remains on track to be functioning in 2019. According to participants at the meeting, mrc governments disagreed about the prior consultation procedures and how they had been applied in the case of the xayaburi dam. The xayaburi hydro power project is a reinforce concrete dam with 810 meters long and 28. Due to the fact that xayaburi hpp employs a runofriver type installation, this necessarily invalidates the claim that the dam is storing water, which would lead to low water levels.
While environmentalists fear it will threaten fisheries and communities, the lao government says the concerns are exaggerated. W6mekong river upstream from proposed dam site 20 km. Commercial operation of the dam is scheduled to start in october 2019. Laos has completed two dams on the mekong river, the 1. New mekong dam in laos opens to protests, driedout. Xayaburi dam denies responsibility for dry mekong river. Aug 12, 2011 a subsequent report, published in march by the mekong river commission itself, found that, from the xayaburi dam alone, the migrations of anywhere from 23 to 100 species of fish would be restricted, and the rivers iconic giant catfish, which can span 10 ft. Xayaburi dam 30% finished, says laos phnom penh post. Decision looms on xayaburi dam, its impact still unclear. I was living by the river for so long, earning money from gold panning and farming. Mar 25, 2014 laoss controversial xayaburi dam is 30 per cent built, its government has told the post.
The dam will be located in oudomxay province, northern laos, blocking the river about 92 kilometers downstream from thailand in wiang kaen district, chiang rai province. According to the xayaburi dams developer, construction of. The lao government insists that the xayaburi project. Ten floodgates were installed to produce electricity. The dam has an expected capacity of 1260mw, a height of 32m, and a reservoir length of 60 to 100km 1. Malaria awareness day anzac day australia and new zealand world penguin day dna day. Dec 16, 2011 the mekong river is currently under siege by a proposal for a major dam on the rivers main stream in northern laos. The ongoing construction of major hydroelectric dams on the rivers main channel and tributary systemsparticularly in the basins lower and more populated reachesis leading to significant socioecological changes. Find xayaburi dam hydroelectric dam on mekong stock images in hd and millions of other royaltyfree stock photos, illustrations and vectors in the shutterstock collection. Under the pnpcas procedural framework, laos submitted the xayaburi dam project proposal for prior consultation to the mrc on 20 september 2010, and the mrc officially began the consultation process on 22 october 2010, whereby the other mrc states had six months to formally reply with any concerns about the proposal. Sanakhams proposed site is located 155km north of lao capital vientiane and is projected to produce 684mw of electricity once the project is online in 2028.
Although the dam is going forward, its risks remain unknown. Commercial operation of the dam started in october 2019. Aug 16, 2012 ch karnchangs 50 percentowned subsidiary, xayaburi power co, has received a 29year concession contract from the laotian government to operate the dams power plant. Apr 18, 2011 the proposed dam, known as the xayaburi for the province in laos where it is located, is a test case for a 1995 agreement signed by laos, thailand, cambodia and vietnam to share the rivers. W2 mekong river at proposed dam site w5 mekong river upstream from proposed dam site 16 km. W3 mekong river upstream from proposed dam site 8 km. Laos approves xayaburi mega dam on mekong bbc news. Thousands of new, highquality pictures added every day. Transnational networks, authority and the dispute over the xayaburi dam on the lower. Community lawsuit against xayaburi dam at thailands administrative court in june 2014.
Testing ground for untried technologies 11182016 i miss the mekong. Can damming the mekong power a better life to laos. I have just modified 5 external links on xayaburi dam. Even though construction started back in 2012, it is due to finally start operating sometime in 2019. Ministers from cambodia, laos, thailand, and vietnam reached the consensus decision at a meeting of the mrc an inter. Xayaburi dam decision delayed, pending further studies. Nov 15, 2016 in 2019, the first dam on the lower mekong will be completed. It will stand 58m high and 350m long, and comprise 12. This is xayaburi dam project, laos by adrian callan on vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them. The governments of cambodia and viet nam have never agreed to the xayaburi project. Located in northern laos, the proposed xayaburi dam is the most advanced of eleven large hydropower dams planned for the lower mekong river. The xayaburi dam changed this story, becoming the first mainstream hydropower facility.
The dam would destroy the rivers complex ecosystems that serve as important fish habitats for local and migratory species. Given the risks involved, it is urgent that the xayaburi dam builders stop all relocation activities and delay further construction, so. Decision looms for controversial xayaburi dam on lower. Mar 21, 2018 the pak beng dam is the third dam planned for construction on the lower mekong river mainstream following the xayaburi and don sahong dams. The complex ecosystems of the mighty mekong river in the remote province of xayaburi in northern laos are the spawning grounds of rich migratory fisheries that feed millions of people along the entire length of the river. The construction company behind the xayaburi dam in northern laos has dismissed allegations that the dam is one of the reasons for the sharp drop in water levels in the downstream stretches of the mekong river.
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