Luang Prabang Dam Developer Shares Progress With Mekong Countries

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The developer of the Luang Prabang dam briefed the visiting delegation in regards to the dam building standing and actions. (Photograph: MRC)

The Lao authorities welcomed a Mekong River Fee delegation final week to showcase the event progress of its third Mekong mainstream hydropower venture.

Whereas senior officers and specialists from the MRC Member International locations and Secretariat expressed appreciation, they urged the Lao authorities and the developer of the Luang Prabang dam to formally share the venture knowledge and data with their fellow governments and the general public extra broadly.

The decision got here out throughout the “Regional Workshop on the Implementation of the Joint Motion Plan (JAP) of the Luang Prabang Hydropower Challenge” on 21–22 June in Luang Prabang, which grew out of the Prior Session course of for the venture.

Development on the 1,460-megawatt Luang Prabang dam is ongoing. The developer — Luang Prabang Energy Firm Restricted — anticipated that river stream to the downstream ecosystem and communities could be unaffected, which they stated ought to stay the norm for the following four-five years of building. The MRC delegation additionally visited the Xayaboury hydropower venture, which has the identical proprietor and operator as that of the Luang Prabang venture.

Actually, the positioning go to to each dams got here amid a broader push by the MRC and its 4 Member International locations for larger accountability, transparency, knowledge sharing and public engagement. The 2020 JAP got here on the heels of a six-month Procedures for Notification, Prior Session and Settlement (PNPCA) course of: all stakeholders, together with riverine activists and neighborhood representatives, may categorical their views on a serious infrastructure venture that would disrupt their lives. Certainly, throughout the go to, some members of the nationwide delegations brazenly expressed ongoing considerations about transboundary and cumulative impacts of dam improvement. From their experiences, they stated they’d noticed uncommon stream fluctuation and a declining fish inhabitants.

In 2020, the MRC Joint Committee Assertion in regards to the JAP known as on “the Authorities of Laos to make each effort to deal with any potential transboundary adversarial impacts of the Luang Prabang venture”.

“We’re right here to have a dialogue with the federal government and the developer on some key considerations with this venture, similar to fish, sediment transport and dam security,” stated the CEO of the MRC Secretariat, Dr. Anoulak Kittikhoun, in opposition to the backdrop of the development web site. “We will see that lots of efforts have been put in place to deal with these considerations.”

For instance, hydropower dams are typically recognized to have an effect on fish migration and spawning habits. So, on the Xayaboury venture, the MRC had really useful that the developer and Laos considerably enhance the fish entrance and passage services, together with submerging them throughout all water-flow conditions and rising stream attraction. The fish passage design was then revised.

That appears to have made a significant distinction. In the course of the 21 June subject journey to Xayaboury, the delegation realized extra about preliminary fish monitoring outcomes: 86% of the fish efficiently migrated by means of the specifically constructed services. Of the 1,345 fish detected within the space, 1,156 reportedly ascended.

But, long-term monitoring is being carried out to additional examine the efficacity of the fish-migration services. The developer stated it had been working with European and Australian specialists, amongst others, on this testing and monitoring.

As well as, the developer stated after three years of Xayaboury dam operation and monitoring, it had not noticed any vital sediment trapping within the impoundment and that the sediment routing facility had allowed the sediment to stream by means of the turbine and generally get flushed by means of the decrease retailers. That is essential to take care of the river’s pure sediment stream on this stretch of the Mekong.

Moreover, throughout the 22 June subject journey to the Luang Prabang dam, the visiting delegation realized in regards to the different actions that Laos and the developer had taken to date to deal with the MRC’s suggestions.

Because the dam is about 25 km upstream of the historic, world-famous metropolis of Luang Prabang, security is a key concern. It was reported that an impartial, dam-safety evaluate panel had already been established earlier than building started. Per the MRC’s recommendation, the developer additionally up to date the design of the constructions, following site-specific Probabilistic and Deterministic Seismic Hazard Evaluation, Possible Most Flood (PMF), Possible Most Precipitation (PMP) evaluation, and dam break evaluation – all of it in accordance with the Lao nationwide requirements and worldwide good practices.

On fish, the Luang Prabang developer adopted what seems to be working in Xayaboury and added an upstream migration lock on the proper financial institution.

Along with Lao regulation and MRC’s suggestions, the developer reported on the implementation of Worldwide Finance Cooperation (IFC) Efficiency Requirements, together with these referring to the evaluation and administration of environmental and social dangers, biodiversity conservation, sustainable administration of dwelling pure sources, and cultural heritage.

A Thai member of the delegation – whose nation shares a whole lot of kilometers of the Mekong with Laos – expressed appreciation to the Luang Prabang developer for brazenly discussing the progress and plans. Dr. Tuantong Jutagate, Affiliate Professor of Ubon Ratchathani College, stated the developer addressed “our considerations and what we fear about.”

But, simply as public communication can ease considerations, he stated much less transparency may gas suspicions.

“We would like them to know that knowledge sharing is a vital step to make the venture extra comprehensible between the developer and the folks,” stated Dr. Jutagate. “Data is energy. If they will share extra knowledge in regards to the administration of stream and fish, then we are able to discover one thing within the center to barter and remedy any issues.”