Presented by: Amphai Dalasouk

Department of Environmental Management

Faculty of Environmental Science

National University of Lao

2011

Environmental and Social Impact of Hydro

power Development

in Lao PDR

Present outline

Introduction to Hydropower Development in Lao PDR

Example of Environment and Social Impact of Hydropower Project

Conclusion

Introduction to Hydropower Development in Lao PDR

The Lao Government’s plans and policies for the power sector involve rapid and simultaneous development on several fronts with a view to:

Expanding the generation, transmission, distribution and off-grid development to increase the domestic electrification ratio for the country from the current level of about 60% (in early 2008) to a target of above 90% by 2020;

Increasing government revenues from Independent Power Plant (IPP) export investments and honoring power export commitments with neighboring countries by promoting a producer development carried out by private sector;

Promoting 500kV grid development within the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) to integrate the power systems of Lao PDR and its neighbors.

Existing and Planned Lao Hydropower

Projects

Projects in Operation: 10. Total 1,976 MW installed capacity

Projects officially under construction: 4. Total 1,265 installed capacity

Projects at planning stage: 23 Yotal 6,540 installed capacity

Projects at feasibility stage: 42. Total 6346 installed capacity

General Benefit from Hydropower Project

Expand government’s revenues

Opportunities for local and national

employment

Increase income

Improve public infrastructure

Improve livelihood conditions

Main Negative Impact Environment

- Lost of forest to road, reservoir and other infrastructures

- Inundate a wide variety of terrestrial and river habitat types including considerable tropical forest habitat.

- Increase d access to forest leads to increased resource extraction

- Block fish migration

- Change to flow regime, which may affect tributaries

- Change to flow regime and sediment load, lead to riverbank erosion and decline in water quality

- Change in fish species composition and fish abundance

Social impact

Lost of property: house and other constructions, agriculture land (paddy fields, gardens, upland rice cultivation, grassing land, fish pone, economic trees, fruit trees and crops).

Lost of opportunity to natural resources use such as: fish and aquatic resource, water resource and forest resource.

Lost of income

Relocate and resettle to another place which limited of natural resources, limited land use (areas and fertilities)

Example of Hydropower Project in Laos

1. Theun-Hinboun Power Plant

2. Theun-Hinboun Expansion Project

3. 3 Hydropower Projects Proposed in Nam Gniep

Theun-Hinboun Hydropower Project Background

The Theun-Hiboun Power Plant is the first one of the several large hydropower Project in central part of Laos

Is a 210 MW trans-basin hydropower project

Located on the Nam Theun River

Diverts water of 110m3/s out of the Nam Theun River into the Nam Hai River

The project was launched in 1994

The THPP completed an EIA in 1996

Opened on April 4, 1998

T – H Powerhouse

T – H Dam

Nam Hai

Nam Hinboun

Mekong

Nam Ngouang

Nam Theun

Study Area

PhakonkoVillage

Nasakong Village

Khen Village Kengkhot Village

Access road

Environmental Impact from THPP There are 3 impact zone:

1. Nam Theun and Nam Gnouang above the dam site

2. Nam Kading below the dam site

3. Nam Hai and Nam Hinboun receiving the diverted flow

The main impact are:

1. Increase water level in upstream and in recipient river

2. Flow regime alteration

3. Aggravation of flooding

4. Fish and aquatic resources decline

5. Changes in domestic water quality and availability

6. Riverbank erosion and sedimentation.

Riverbank erosion

Increase number and duration flooding

Fish and aquatic decline

Destruction of biodiversity do to access road, dam site and camp construction

Main Social Impact There are 71 villages and increased from 26 villages of EIA . The main

social impacts are:

1. Loss of dry season riverbank garden, which were an important

source of food and income

2. Loss of access to traditional fishing and fish breeding areas.

3. Loss of property and livestock by frequency flood

4. Loss of wet season rice crops, leading to widespread paddy field

abandonment

5. Loss of access to clean water due to effected from water discharge

from Theun-Hinboun powerhouse

6. Loss of income by villagers due to delays by the company in taking

action to solve the problems cause by the project.

Socio-economic impacts of THPP

100 100 100

61.7 61.7

47 40

35

25 18.3

Morefrequencyand long

duration offlood

loss of wetseason ricecrop and

production

Fish andaquaticdecline

Loss of accessto cleanwater

Loss of accessto good

location forriverbankgardens

Abandonedpaddy land

Insufficientrice

consumptionevery year

since THPPoperation

lost livestock Lostriverbankgardens

Lost assets

Percent of respondent

Food security

44.4

35.7

11.8

21.7

44.4

64.3

58.8

48.3

11.1

0

29.4 30

Nasakong Phakonko Kengkhot Khen

Percent of respondent

Sufficient

Insufficient rice consumption some years since THPP operation

Insufficient rice consumption every years since THPP operation

Percent of responses who lost assets, livestock, and abandoned paddy land

0 0

29.4 30

11.1 9

52.9

40

11.1

29

41

80

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Nasakong Phakonko Kengkhot Khen

Lost assets Lost livestock Abandoned paddy land

THPC Compensation packages

1. Dry season rice practice

2. Cash crop production

3. Drinking water supply

4. Protein replacement

5. Health care

6. Credit fund

7. Provided textbook for primary school

8. Improved access road

Dry Season Rice practices

Diesel pump in Nam Hinboun River

24

88

52

77

52 55

120 110

208

118

1.64 3.52 1.92 3.31 1.52

2004-2005 2005-2005 2006-2007 2004-2005 2005-2006

Kengkhot Khen

Dry season rice practice

Theun-Hinboun Garden Provision

Gardening practice THPC subsidies

46 48

75

19.2

32.2

57.6

Nasakong Kengkhot Kehen

Dry season garden practice in 2007-2008

HH practice(%) Area

Diesel pump

2. Diesel

3. Seed

4. Fruit tree seedling

Drinking water supply

Dug wells for every village

Nasakong still in use

Phakonko only one in new hamlet

Kengkhot 2 , 1 still use

Khen 2, but could not use few days after duged

Protein replacement

THPC provided: 1 pig, 10 chickens per village for Kengkhot and Khen villages.

The Improved livestock management program including:

• trained representative villagers of Veterinarians,

• supply veterinary equipment,

• supply vaccination and treatment livestock nutrition

Health Care Saving and Credit Fund

The program includes:

• free health checks,

• child health care

• training local give birth care

• providing mosquito net

• medicine cabinet for village

• birth control program

• child nutrition check

52%

3%

45%

Persent of total

Participant Not participant In dept

Others compensations

Improved access road in dry season

Provided textbooks for primary schools in academic

year 2005-2006

Theun Hinboun Expansion Project Since 2004, after 6 years THHP operation THPC has

proposed a new scheme to enlarge the hydropower

potential of the project (THXP)

The construction period for this expansion project is scheduled for 2009-2011 .

THPC has completed the final draft EIA, EMMP and RAP studies in 2007 to address the environmental and socio-economic issues arising from the cumulative impacts of THPP and THXP

One reason for proposing the expansion is that the impending completion of the Nam Theun 2 dam upstream on the Nam Theun will reduce the power generation at Theun Hinboun

THXP Location

THXP is composed of two main part:

A storage reservoir and a power

plant on the Nam Gnouang

upstream of Then Hinboun

Headpond

The dam side is located on the

Nam Gnouang arm of the Theun

Hinboun Headpond about 27 km

upstream of the existing THPP

diversion weir

The Roller Compacted Concrete

dam is high 65 m. The reservoir

will cover an area of about105 km2

THXP impact zone There are 6 zones

1. Reservoir 11 villages,

2. Head pond 6 villages

3. Recipient Rivers 69 village

4. Project Construction lands 50 villages

5. Upstream Areas 48 villages

6. Resettlement Areas 6 village

Total 190 villages, 9,011 families and 52,627 people.

The main potential impacts of THXP to

recipient rivers communities Environmental Impact:

1. Increased risk flood damage

2. Riverbank erosion

3. Increased sediment transport

4. Impact on water use and riverbank gardens

5. Water logging and degrading of floodplain vegetation

6. Loss of bottom fauna and fish species

7. Loss of riverine aquatic habitats and fish biodiversity

Social impact:

There are 69 village, 4,138 families, 24,154 people. 4

villages were relocated to Phoumakneng in 2009,

and another 5 villages relocated in Phousat last

year, and more12 villages will be relocated in 2

relocation sides in 2013 and 2014. The relocated

communities are:

Improve infrastructure

Loss of ancient villages, agriculture lands, and

other property due to relocation to higher places

Loss of opportunities to natural resources

THXP Compensation Packages for Relocation Communities THXP compensation packages plan

The compensation packages are included: relocation, infrastructure development and livelihood improvement

Relocation part: the THCP will support to relocation: relocation site planning, provide at least 500 m2 per HH, dismantling, compensate for non-salvageable materials, transport and technical assistance.

Infrastructure development included: water supply for domestic use to every HH, electricity connection to every HH, improve all season access road, small clinic, temple, and primary school with six rooms.

Livelihood improvement package: income targets average HH annual is 14,200,000 kip. (1) Forage Production and improved ruminant husbandry, (2) Pig and feed production and improved raising, (3) Poultry production for consumption and sale, (3) Fish and frog raising in ponds, (4) Cash crop production, (5) Cottage industry development, (6) Mixed Orchard/Plantations, (7) Rice production, and training program for villagers. In additional there are rubber plantation for villagers, mushroom training, organic fertilize production, and food distribution to the vulnerable

Concerns of the relocation issue

85% 81.70%

68.30% 67.30% 66.70%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Relocation assistance Agriculture land Relocation Facility Natural resource Loss of Property inpresent village

Percent

Percent

Villagers attitude of THXP compensation for relocation communities

Agree with compensation

from THXP 42%

Do not agree with THXP

compensation 58%

Chart Title

Conclusions Main socio-economic impact of THPP to recipient river

communities.

Loss wet season rice crop due to more frequency and long duration of flood.

Fish and aquatic declined

Loss of access to clean water due to effected from water discharge from Theun-Hinboun powerhouse

Loss of access to riverbank gardens practice due to Hinboun riverbank erosion

THPC compensation packages are:

No direct compensation

The PAPs livelihood restoration were unsuccessful

Conclusions (cont’)

Main socio-economic impact potential of THXP to recipient river communities

1. Loss of houses and structures

2. Impacts on agriculture land

3. Impacts on fishing

4. Health impacts

THXP compensation packages 1. Appear to be beneficial for livelihood improvement

2. The infrastructure improvement was delayed

3. There is no agriculture land available for relocated communities

Further studies can be evaluated of THXP compensation packages whether these can make the relocated communities live worst off or better off than before relocation .

3 Hydropower Projects Proposed in Nam Ngiep

Location of Nam Ngiep Hydropower Project.

Location of Nam Ngiep 1 The Nam Ngiep 1 Hydropower (NNHP 1) Project is located

on the Nam Ngiep River in central Lao PDR.

The main facilities of the project, the dam, re-regulating dam, and power generating plants, are planned to be located in Bolikhan District of Bolikhamxay . The main reservoir will cover parts of Xiang Khouang and Vientiane Provinces

The Project will create 2 dams; a main dam and a re-regulating dam with a combined capacity to produce 282.1 MW or 1508 GWh of electricity in total.

Dam height 163 m and 540 m length

Potential Impact Zone Zone 1: Upstream area 8 villages

Zone 2: Reservoir area 7 villages, 4 villages have to resettled

Zone 3: Construction area is one village

Zone 4: Downstream area 11 villages

Zone 5: Resettlement area 2 villages

Access road villages, 20.9 km

Transmission line 230 Kv, 130 km length trough 24 villages

Nam Ngiep 2 Hydropower Project location.

Main Features of the NN2 HPP Features Details

Installed capacity 180 MW(2X90 MW)

Annual average energy output 723GWh

Total reservoir volume 163Mm3

Regulation reservoir volume 119Mm3

Height of main dam 70.5m

Length of main dam axis 421.5m

NG 2 Impact Zone Zone 1: The area that upstream of the reservoir. There

are 2 villages, about 163 household and 1,111 populations.

Zone 2: The area reservoir. About 3 villages to be resettled from the NN2 Hp project development. There are about 106 household and 592 people in the area

Zone 3: The area that downstream of the reservoir. There are 5 villages, 292 household and about about 1,750 people

Zone 4: The potential resettlement site. 1 village 69 household and 384 people.

ຫາດຍ ື້ ນ

Conclusion Main Environmental Impact of Hydropower Development in

Laos

1. Forest cover declining

2. Change in river flow regime

3. Fish and aquatic declining

4. Water quality

Main Social Impact of Hydropower Development in Laos

1. Limitation of agriculture land

2. Limitation of natural resources: forest, fish and other aquatic resource

Thank you very much for your kind attention