The Mekong River Commission Tuesday acknowledged that climate change played a role in this year’s widely varying water levels on the Mekong, but said that dam construction was the main culprit in sharp water level increases and decreases, emphasizing a need for data-sharing between countries.

The remarks came during a conference in Vientiane to report on the six-month prior consultation process for Laos’ Luangprabang hydropower project, a formal hurdle the project has to clear before construction can begin.

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The post Mekong River Commission Says Dams Are Causing of Sharp Shifts in Water Levels first appeared on Open Development Mekong.

The collapse of a dam this summer in southeastern Laos, which triggered massive flooding that killed dozens and displaced thousands of people, has brought a renewed focus on hydroelectric dams in mainland Southeast Asia. Proponents of hydroelectric dams argue they will bring benefits in the form of national revenue and power generation for local communities, but they also threaten the food security and livelihoods of millions of people in the riparian countries that make up the Lower Mekong region: Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. 

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The post The Promise and Pitfalls of Hydropower Development Along the Mekong River first appeared on Open Development Mekong.

The collapse of the Xepian-Xe Nam hydropower dam in Sanamxay district of Attapeu Province, Lao PDR on July 23 is a major tragedy that took the lives of at least 34 Laotians, with at least 100 more still missing and thousands displaced. Some 50 days on, this disaster has come under intense scrutiny in part because the link between the causes of the disaster, human actions and development decisions are so clearly visible. Although the area experienced heavy monsoon rains in the weeks leading up to the flood, an inundation of this speed and scale was clearly driven by the dam failure.

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The post How better hydropower planning can avert future disasters on the Mekong first appeared on Open Development Mekong.

Hydropower is one of Southeast Asia’s biggest renewable energy sources, however, many still remain oblivious to the damaging side-effects of hydropower projects. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), hydropower capacity in the region grew almost threefold from 16 GW to 44 GW between 2000 and 2016. Currently, the use of hydropower is most prevalent in Vietnam, Lao PDR and Thailand, which take advantage of the Mekong River flowing through their respective borders. Data from the World Energy Council indicates that in terms of installed capacity, Vietnam leads the way in Southeast Asia with 15,211 megawatts (MW).

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The post The hidden costs of hydropower first appeared on Open Development Mekong.

Farmers and anglers in Cambodia depend on the Mekong River’s predictable seasonal patterns, but new dams for hydroelectricity are altering the hydrology of the river. These changes have the potential to threaten fish migration, livelihoods, and regional food security.

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The post Hydropower in Cambodia could threaten food security of region first appeared on Open Development Mekong.

Mega-dam construction is booming around the world, with promoters hyping hydropower as a green, renewable source of energy and a means of curbing climate change. But as these dams are built in the Amazon, Mekong and elsewhere, they’re doing great environmental and social damage and their green credentials are no longer adding up.

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The post HydroCalculator: new, free, online tool helps citizens assess dams first appeared on Open Development Mekong.

A team of officials has studied several rivers in Rakhine State and concluded that some are suitable for hydropower production, sources say. The officials inspected and measured headwater of the Nanyar River in Yathedaung Township on August 12. Yathedaung MP Than Naing, who accompanied the team, said: “We’ve studied two rivers – the Nanyar and the one near Padauk Myaing village. Our team has nine members, including engineers. They said the rivers have potential for hydropower production.”

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The post Hydropower production possible in Rakhine: officials first appeared on Open Development Mekong.