Hydropower in the Mekong River Basin


The estimated hydropower potential of the lower Mekong Basin is 30,000 MW, while that of the upper Mekong Basin is 28,930 MW. In the lower Mekong, more than 3,235 MW has been realized via facilities built largely over the past ten years, while projects under construction will represent an additional 3,209 MW. An additional 134 projects are planned for the lower Mekong, which will maximize the river's hydropower generating capacity. The single most significant impact—both now and in the future—on the use of water and its management in the Mekong Region is hydropower.
Given current development trends in the region, power demands are expected to rise seven percent per year between 2010 and 2030, yielding a substantial and potentially lucrative energy market. Hydropower is the favoured energy option for the Mekong's riparian countries.
The development of the Mekong River Basin is highly controversial, and is one of the most prominent components in the discussion about the river and its management. This debate occurs in both the academic literature, as well as the media, and is a focus for many activist groups.

Existing hydropower infrastructure

Table 1: Commissioned dams in the Mekong River Basin
ProjectCountryRiverLocationCommissionedInstalled capacity Mean Annual Energy Height Crest length Total storage Max reservoir area
DachaoshanMekong20031,3505,50011548189026.25
GongguoqiaoMekong20129004,041105356316343
NuozhaduMekong20145,85023,91226260823,703320
JinghongMekong20091,7505,570108705.51,140510
ManwanMekong19951,5706,710132418920415
XiaowanMekong20104,20018,99029589314,560194
JinfengNan La He19981664.34519.48
JinheJin He2004603673468.44.27
GuoduoMekong201516082393235.583
LaoyinyanGua Lan Zi He/Shun Dian He1997164.21,092
Nanhe 1Luo Zha He20094017056.814811.36
Nanhe 2Luo Zha He?25100
Luozhahe 1Luo Zha He2016301355914.33
Xi'er He 1Xi'er He1979105440
Xi'er He 2Xi'er He198750371220.2
Xi'er He 3Xi'er He19885022321
Xi'er He 4Xi'er He197114
XunCunHei Hui Jiang1999783456716574
Houay HoHouayho/Xekong1999152450793,53037
Houay LamphanXekong2015884807774.51409
Nam BengNam Beng20143614525.584.83,6110.7
Nam Khan 2Nam Khan201513022516040530.5
Nam Khan 3Nam Khan2016884807774.51409
Nam LeukNam Leuk/Nam Ngum20006021551.580018517.2
Nam Lik 1-2Nam Lik20101004351033281124.4
Nam Mang 1Nam Mang2016642257028016.50.148
Nam Mang 3Nam Gnogn200440150281514910
Nam Ngiep 2Nam Ngiep2015180732
Nam Ngiep 3ANam Ngiep2014441521.8
Nam Ngum 1Nam Ngum1971148.71,006754684,700370
Nam Ngum 2Nam Ngum20116152,3001824213,590122.2
Nam Ngum 5Nam Ngum20121205079923531415
Nam Theun 2Nam Theun/Xe Bangfai20101,0755,936483253,500450
Nam Ou 2Nam Ou201612054649352121.715.7
Nam Ou 5Nam Ou20162401,0497433517.22
Nam Ou 6Nam Ou20161807398840917.01
Theun-HinbounNam Theun19982201,645488101,30049
Theun-Hinboun Expansion ProjectNam Gnouang20132221,395654802,45049
Xe Kaman 3Xe Kaman20142501,000102543141.55.2
Xeset 1Xeset19944515418124
Xeset 2Xeset20097630926144
A LuoiA Sap201217068649.5208
Buon KuopSre Pok20092801,45547
Buon Tua SraSe San/Krong Po Ko20098635941
Dray Hlinh 2Sre Pok20071685
Plei KrongSe San/Krong Po Ko2008100479657451,04953
Sesan 3Sesan20062601,224796.4
Sesan 3ASesan200796
Sesan 4Sesan20093606054
Sre Pok 3Sre Pok200922052.5
Yali FallsSesan2001720651,4601,03764.5
ChulabhornNam Phrom197240937070016531
Pak MunMun199413628017300
SirindhornLam Dom Noi19713686429401,967288
Ubol RatanaNam Pong196625.25735.18852,559410
Lam Ta KhongLam Ta Khong197450040040.325131037

Hydropower infrastructure under construction

Table 2: Hydropower dams under construction in the Mekong River Basin
ProjectCountryRiverLocationExpected Commissioning YearInstalled capacity Mean Annual Energy Height Crest length Total storage Max reservoir area
DahuaqiaoMekong20189204,070106231.5293
HuangdengMekong20181,9008,5782034571,613
LidiMekong20194201,75375346.4753.7
Luozhahe 2Luo Zha He201750225713,391
MiaoweiMekong20171,4005,999140660
WunonglongMekong20199904,116138247284
GanlanbaMekong20181551,17760.545857758
Don SahongMekong20192402,000256,800252.2
Houay PorHouay Poreunknown156060.76
Nam Bi 1Nam Bi202150210258430.0273
Nam Bi 2Nam Bi202168288.547.5182.5100.64
Nam Chian 1Nam Ngiep201710444869367
Nam Kong 2Nam Kong2021662645021071.44.2
Nam Kong 3Nam Kong20174517050.5
Nam Ngiep 1Nam Ngiep20192721,5461675301,19267
Nam Ngiep 2CNam Ngiep202045230
Nam Ngiep Nam Ngiep20191810520904.61.27
Nam Ngum 1 ExtensionNam Ngum2017120
Nam Ou 1Nam Ou20201607106544289.19.56
Nam Ou 3Nam Ou202015068572340168.613.26
Nam Ou 4Nam Ou2020116524473001249.37
Nam Ou 7Nam Ou20201908111478251,49438.16
Nam Pha GnaiNam Pha Gnai201619.21301.5
Nam San 3ANam Sanunknown69278.4753501238.5
Nam Tha 1Nam Tha2018168759.493.7349.21,755
XayaburiMekong20191,2856,035488101,30049
Xekaman-SanxayXe Kaman20173212328180
Xepian-XenamnoyXepian/Xenamnoy20184101,88075.51,7781,09250
Xeset 3Xe Don20202074
Battambang 1Sangker20172412349.54,200
Lower Sesan 2Sesan20184002,312457,7291,790335

Planned hydropower infrastructure

The CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems, which monitors dams development in the Mekong Region, distinguishes between "planned" dams—those for which bureaucratic processes to license, or enable the dam to be constructed ; and "proposed" dams that have been suggested, but for which these processes have not commenced.
Table 3: Planned and Proposed Hydropower dams in the Mekong River Basin
CountryNo. Planned damsNo. Proposed dams
Cambodia120
China112
Laos4320
Myanmar70
Thailand70
Vietnam11
Totals7423

Proposed mainstream dams

Table 4: Dams on the Mekong Mainstream
ProjectCountryLocationExpected Commissioning YearInstalled capacity Mean Annual Energy Height Crest length Total storage Max reservoir area
Ban Kum20301,8728,43453780132.5
DongzhongProposed. COD Unknown.10841.2
GushuiCOD Unknown.2,6008,3373105403,912
GuxuePlanned. COD Unknown.1,7007,8162295997,752
KagongPlanned. COD Unknown.2401,2649723781.4
Latsua20238003,504221,30013
Lin ChangPlanned. COD Unknown.72362389
Luangprabang20301,2006,50057.53181,589.572.4
Pak Beng20229124,8468594387
Pak Lay20301,3204,25235630108
Ru MeiPlanned. COD Unknown.2,10010,5823157243,602
Samborafter 20202,60011,7495618,0023,794620
Sanakham20247005,015251,14481
Santhong-PakchomPlanned. COD Unknown.1,0795,052551,20080.3
Stung TrengPlanned. COD unknown.9804,8702210,88470 211
Yue LongPlanned. COD Unknown.12964460.7377

COD = Commercial Operating Date.

Environmental impacts

A study by the Mekong River Commission |url=http://www.mrcmekong.org/