PHNOM PENH (AFP) — Cambodia's two largest dam projects threaten to flood huge swathes of protected forests, a conservation group has said, urging reform in the country's burgeoning hydropower sector.
International Rivers Network, in a report released late Monday, said that the Kamchay and Stung Atay dams, which seek to provide much-needed electricity to the country, will instead wreak havoc on local communities and slow development.
The US-based group targets in particular Chinese investment in the sector, which it said is powering forward through close ties between Cambodia's government and Beijing, unchecked by public scrutiny.
The projects highlight the "growing interest in large-scale hydropower dam development by Cambodian decision makers backed mainly by Chinese project developers and financiers," the group said.
"Chinese investment in Cambodia's hydropower sector is threatening some of the country's most precious eco-systems and the livelihoods of thousands of people."
Funded largely by a 600-million-dollar Chinese aid package, the Kamchay Dam is located entirely inside Cambodia's Bokor National Park and will flood 2,000 hectares of protected forest, the group said.
Once completed in 2010, it will also force local residents from the area, stripping them of their livelihoods, and could threaten downstream tourist sites, International Rivers said.
Protected forests in Cambodia's Cardamom mountains will also be submerged by the Stung Atay Dam, which is expected to come online in 2012, and four others currently under consideration.
"Cambodia's free-flowing rivers and abundant natural resources are invaluable assets," said Carl Middleton, Mekong program coordinator with International Rivers.
"Poorly conceived hydropower development could irreparably damage these resources and undermine Cambodia's sustainable development."
Only an estimated 20 percent of households have access to reliable electricity in Cambodia, one of the world's poorest countries.
Spiralling utility prices, driven by this lack of supply, are a major obstacle to attracting foreign investment, and the government has struggled to find a way to bring down the cost of power.
International Rivers urged Cambodia to seek alternate power sources, or adopt international standards within its own utilities sectors.
"Cambodia has many choices for meeting our electricity needs, including renewable and decentralised energy options that must be explored" said Ngy San, deputy executive director with the NGO Forum on Cambodia.
International Rivers Network, in a report released late Monday, said that the Kamchay and Stung Atay dams, which seek to provide much-needed electricity to the country, will instead wreak havoc on local communities and slow development.
The US-based group targets in particular Chinese investment in the sector, which it said is powering forward through close ties between Cambodia's government and Beijing, unchecked by public scrutiny.
The projects highlight the "growing interest in large-scale hydropower dam development by Cambodian decision makers backed mainly by Chinese project developers and financiers," the group said.
"Chinese investment in Cambodia's hydropower sector is threatening some of the country's most precious eco-systems and the livelihoods of thousands of people."
Funded largely by a 600-million-dollar Chinese aid package, the Kamchay Dam is located entirely inside Cambodia's Bokor National Park and will flood 2,000 hectares of protected forest, the group said.
Once completed in 2010, it will also force local residents from the area, stripping them of their livelihoods, and could threaten downstream tourist sites, International Rivers said.
Protected forests in Cambodia's Cardamom mountains will also be submerged by the Stung Atay Dam, which is expected to come online in 2012, and four others currently under consideration.
"Cambodia's free-flowing rivers and abundant natural resources are invaluable assets," said Carl Middleton, Mekong program coordinator with International Rivers.
"Poorly conceived hydropower development could irreparably damage these resources and undermine Cambodia's sustainable development."
Only an estimated 20 percent of households have access to reliable electricity in Cambodia, one of the world's poorest countries.
Spiralling utility prices, driven by this lack of supply, are a major obstacle to attracting foreign investment, and the government has struggled to find a way to bring down the cost of power.
International Rivers urged Cambodia to seek alternate power sources, or adopt international standards within its own utilities sectors.
"Cambodia has many choices for meeting our electricity needs, including renewable and decentralised energy options that must be explored" said Ngy San, deputy executive director with the NGO Forum on Cambodia.
8 comments:
You better ask Suy Sem Minister of Industry, Mines nad Energy and his nephew-in-law Keo Rattanak, Suy Sem's Chief Cabinet,Dty General Director and Advisor to Hun Sen or ask Kong Vibol Secretary of State of Economy and Finance who signed the contract with Chinese firm(s)why they ruin the river systems? more than that the production cost of power genearted from these powerplants is very expensive compared to imported power from VN or Loas or Thailand.
Look! because of greed they are blind. More than that to finance the election campaign in Pursat, they opt to destroy eco-system in those river basins. This is typical way CPP retain their power and they never disclose the source of funds.
GOD DAMN IT!
THE FUCKING RULING PARTY SHOULD NOT WELCOME CHINAVASION!
You all above have stupid brain. Will you like Cambodia to buy electricity from Youn and Thai. Look at some articles recently. Open your both eyes if you have got both!!!
they all built hydropower on upper mekong in Laos, china, which is the most important part.
Cambodia should do whatever we can to have our own enegy.
I bet you don't love nature than I do. It will alright, we have more nature reserve than other neighbering countries.
8:55 PM
Hey, little fucker! Listen up, little shit!
Now, you will allow the commie pollute your fucking country, and you know what will do to the eco-system.
You're nothing but are fucking idiotic brainless bastard shithead.
One day the river will be filled with chemical, when that occurs, take yourself, your wife and children submerge into this river, and don't bother to resurface, you fuckhead.
I believe there is a balance in the ecosystem to get the electricity that Cambodian people desperately need without damaging the eco-system! According to JICA, Cambodia has at least 29 locations for hydro-electricity power generation!
Please remember that Cambodian people have the option to restore the ecosystem from hydro-electricity power investment and you can name any problem that modern technologies can not solve which mainly deal with the ecosystem!
The water has the power to cut through rock, mountain, and metal and nobody can stop the flow of water! To understand the power of the water is to study the Grand Canyon Nation Park in Arizona, US! The water also has the power to create clean source of energy and why not take advantage of it!
Tell me what part of the world that is not polluted? The pollutions come from many sources such Mother Nature from the volcano and natural forest fire and of course man made pollution from coal power plant, chemical factory, cars...
It is the electricity that makes the human civilization and advancement in modern technology possible and it would be very stupid for any Cambodian people not to see that! Cambodian people can't afford to sit on their hands and remain primitive forever! Cambodia need to modernize and be part of the human civilization and contribute to the world peace and stability!
anybody has any better idea to how cambodia can solve its current energy problems? how else can cambodia produce its own electricity to serve the growing population and urban centers all across the country? the gov't has to think of something to meet this high demand. how else to do it? i think buying electricity from vietnam, thailand, and laos is only for the short-term strategy to meet the current electricity demand in cambodia. if small interest group or opposition politician is so concern about electricity dependency on the neighboring countries, how else can cambodia solve the current electricity shortage. so, build a dam to meet this demand is one solution to solve the current problem. so, it sounds like the really concern is the environment damage and displacement of the local population. but i think by go ahead with the building of the dam, not only help to solve or meet his high demand in the long-run, but it will also help with flood control as well. because every year, there are always flooding in cambodia; areas like phnom penh, kampot, svay rieng, prey veng, etc are always flooded every years. so building the dams high in the kampot area, kirirom area, ratanakiri, mondolkiri, battambang, etc., can actually help control these natural phenomenon. if anyone has a great idea, then tell the gov't or people in charge to take a good at your idea. cambodia is open for business.
You all above have stupid brain. Will you like Cambodia to buy electricity from Youn and Thai. Look at some articles recently. Open your both eyes if you have got both!!!
they all built hydropower on upper mekong in Laos, china, which is the most important part.
Cambodia should do whatever we can to have our own enegy.
I bet you don't love nature than I do. It will alright, we have more nature reserve than other neighbering countries.
I must congratulate on your righteous and outspoken style, I like it.
can not use diesel fuel to create electricity for cambodia, at least not in the larger scale because if you know anything about diesel fuel, it can create acid rain (also known as black rain) that can destroy stones, nature, the environment, the buildings, etc., worst than a dam like this. at least, building a dam is only confined to a certain area and i think it is ok to sacrafice these small area that the dam will flood, but in the long-term, cambodia can meet its demand for electricity by building dams in designated areas across cambodia. and i wish some people would stop criticizing the gov't plan to build dams for electricity in cambodia. go complain elsewhere like in thailand, they have dams there, in laos they have dams there, in china, in vietnam, and so on. so, stop making such a big deal when cambodia have dams to meet our electricity demand. how else can the gov't have electricity if they can get technical assistance from china or any other willing country to help to build dams. can't depend on getting electricity from vietnam, laos, and thailand forever. that would make cambodia dependent on the neighhbors. cambodia can not risk our sovereignty nor our independence to these neighboring countries in the long-term. so how else (the critics) expect cambodia to have enough energy to serve our growing population, economy and way of life. please think for the solution to solve this problem. let's work together to solve this energy problem because cambodia won't stay the same anymore; the country is growing. so does consumption and needs.
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