Laos: Concerns accounted for in Xayaboury hydropower development, EU told

Laos: Concerns accounted for in Xayaboury hydropower development, EU told

All concerns have been taken into account in the development of the
Xayaboury run-off-river hydropower plant the project developer recently
relayed to European Union (EU) Ambassador to Laos, Leon Paul Faber.

The ambassador, who took office in September last year, and his delegates
visited the construction site of the US$4 billion project on Saturday.

Fish migration and nutrient sediment float have been a major concern for
downstream countries. Concerns have arisen that if sentiments are blocked,
it could minimise nutrients for fish in Cambodia's Tonle Sap Lake and
degrade fertilisation in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

Deputy Managing Director of Xayaboury Power Company Limited (XPCL)'s
Operation and Maintenance, Mr Anuparp Wonglakorn confirmed that almost all
nutrient sediment could pass freely through the spillways and turbines.

In his presentation that briefed viewers on the world-class technology being
applied to develop the project, Mr Anuparp demonstrated by pictures and
video how sediments could float through the plant structure downstream and
how fish can also mi grate upstream and downstream.

Internationally-recognised companies - Poyry and AF-consult from
Switzerland, CNR from France and Team Group from Thailand, whose engineers
and experts have broad international backgrounds and experiences in
hydropower - have been employed for the development of the project in all
relevant aspects.

Almost all sediment will be able to pass through the plant structure, Mr
Anuparp reiterated to local media who accompanied the diplomats' visits.

Studies have showed that 97 percent are light sediments that float on the
running water and as the water is running, the current will enable these
light sediments to float downstream, he stated.

The remaining 3 percent of heavier sediments could have sunken down but we
can flush them downstream though low-level outlets. Mr Anuparp added.

The video presentation also demonstrated how fish could migrate upstream
through fish ladders Mr Anuparp said that natural-like facilities have been
developed to suit Mekong fish circumstances.

Before the design of the facilities, we have carried out experiments to
collect data on behaviours of all kinds of fish and the behaviours were
taken into account, he said.

The slope and the length of the ladders, as well as how strong the current
should be, have been designed to enable fish to migrate through the plant.

Migration channels have also been provided along with the utilisation of
fish-friendly turbines to enable fish to migrate downstream.

Navigation channels have been in use and the facility is designed to capably
accommodate as heavy as a 500-tonne ship to pass through. Currently, about
30 cargo ships will pass through the channel per month with the heaviest one
weighing 300 tonnes.

Thousands of households affected by the project have been resettled with the
provision of household income generating activities among other agreements.

After being briefed through the presentation, EU Ambassador Leon Paul Faber
told Vientiane Times that he was impressed by the scope of the project and
the way it has been implemented.

I am of course not an expert on this kind of construction but it looks to me
that all efforts have been done to also consider environmental issues and
social impacts so I think it looks to me to be a very good project, he said.

Construction of the 29-year concession project began in 2012 with completion
slated for 2019. As much as 95 percent of power generated by the 1,285 MW
project will be sold to Thailand, while the remaining 5 percent will be sold
here in Laos.

During the concession period, the project is expected to earn almost US$4
billion for the government.

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Link to Original Article:
http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/FreeContent/FreeConten_Concerns.htm

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com