decision making on hydropower development in lao pdr
DESCRIPTION
3rd Mekong Forum on Water, Food & Energy. Presentation from Session 17: Governance, institutions and decision-making about dams.TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Decision making on hydropower development in lao pdr](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022051610/548afd90b47959d2158b4675/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
![Page 2: Decision making on hydropower development in lao pdr](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022051610/548afd90b47959d2158b4675/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
• The UN classes the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) as a ‘less developed country’, something its government is keen to change. It has set its sights on transitioning into a middle-income country by 2020. A key component of this strategy is a concerted policy of ‘industrialization and modernization’, including the development of its significant hydropower potential.
• In its 2011-2015 Five-year Socio-economic Development Plan, GoL plans to develop 10 large-scale dams with a combined capacity of 5,015 MW, at a cost of US$11.25 billion. These plans perceive hydropower to be a solution to poverty and development.
![Page 3: Decision making on hydropower development in lao pdr](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022051610/548afd90b47959d2158b4675/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
- Electricity Law in 1997, amended 2008 and 2012;
- Environmental Protection Law 1999 and amended 2013;
- Environmental Impact Assessment Decree 2000 and amended 2010;
- Resettlement and Compensation People Affected by Development project 2005.
- Agreement on the Cooperation for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong
River Basin 1995 (1995 agreement)
![Page 4: Decision making on hydropower development in lao pdr](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022051610/548afd90b47959d2158b4675/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
-District governors can make decisions on dams of 100 KW and below; -Provincial governors can authorize the construction of dams of between 101 KW and 15 MW; -Government can authorize the construction of dams of between 15 MW and 100 MW; -Standing Committee of the National Assembly will, on the government’s recommendation, authorize the construction of dams with an installed capacity of higher than 100 MW and/or a reservoir area of 10,000 ha or larger, and/or that will cause large-scale social and environmental impacts
![Page 5: Decision making on hydropower development in lao pdr](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022051610/548afd90b47959d2158b4675/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
• Nam Ngum 1 dam built in 1968, former Lao government, no participation of Local people, and resettled 3200 people in the war time.
• Nam Mang 3 dam built in 2005, local people participated, resettled 168 households, small area of reservoir, linking with irrigation system.
• Nam Nhone dam built in 2010, small scale dam, no resettled people, no reservoir area.
• Nam Ngum 2 dam built in 2009, resettled 6100 people to one location, not enough and poor agriculture land, one purpose dam.
• Xayaburi dam, on going construction, 1260 MW, resettled 2 villages.
![Page 6: Decision making on hydropower development in lao pdr](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022051610/548afd90b47959d2158b4675/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
• The compensation and resettlement correlates highly with the livelihood of affected people from hydropower development project, especially good agriculture land compensation.
• Effective resettlement is complex, it involves considerations of culture, livelihood, food security, and economic and social development.
![Page 7: Decision making on hydropower development in lao pdr](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022051610/548afd90b47959d2158b4675/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
• The dam that linking with irrigation system is prefer by downstream people,
• Hydropower often involves significant social and cultural impacts – managing these in terms of resettlement is difficult. Smaller dams do not have as many impacts.
![Page 8: Decision making on hydropower development in lao pdr](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022051610/548afd90b47959d2158b4675/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
• Hydropower also offers significant potential benefits. For local people, dams can help facilitate infrastructure development, basic education opportunities for children, health care services, electricity and transportation facilities.
![Page 9: Decision making on hydropower development in lao pdr](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022051610/548afd90b47959d2158b4675/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
• GoL is working hard to implement the laws and regulations of Lao PDR and international agreements.
• The GoL is also attentive to constructive comments from NGOs and experts.
![Page 10: Decision making on hydropower development in lao pdr](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022051610/548afd90b47959d2158b4675/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
- Legislations be amended to be more decentralization.
-Resettlement planning and implementation be enhanced.
-Hydropower dams should be linked with irrigation systems or promoted to be multi-purpose.
-More consideration should be paid to stakeholder’s comments.
-Developers should be encouraged to use environmental friendly technologies in dam design and construction.
![Page 11: Decision making on hydropower development in lao pdr](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022051610/548afd90b47959d2158b4675/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Thank you very much for your attention!