Hydropower in South East Asia: worrying prospects

Hydropower, created through hydroelectric dams, has played a huge role in the proliferation of renewable energy sources worldwide, and unimaginable agricultural feats allowing us to make the desert bloom. However, the environmental destruction of dams is consistently cited as a major drawback to an otherwise promising energy source. Beyond this, the disruption of natural river flows has unimaginable consequences, not just of the environments that rely on flood patterns, and migratory habits of fish species, but also to the human beings relying on the services these river systems provide. The Mekong River is one of the largest rivers in the world. Flowing from the Himalayas through Southern China, it is the artery of Southeast Asia, flowing through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Due to monsoon weather systems the Mekong has highly variable seasonal flow patterns. These patterns annually flood the Southeast Asian plains, supporting large populations of migratory fish, and fertilizing surrounding flood plains ideal for agriculture. China has already dammed much of the Mekong’s upper reaches. Recently Laos has published plans to construct 11 major dams along its stretch of the Mekong, causing much controversy. The effect of these dams could have devastating effects on Cambodia, as much of its population relies on Mekong River fish populations for protein. Moreover the Mekong Flood patterns feed the expansion of Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia. Should these dams be completed, Cambodia would lose 110% annually of current livestock production. The consequences of this for the population relying on fish for daily protein are devastating. Hydroelectric dam construction, however, also forms a large part of Cambodia energy strategy. Recently plans to flood the Areng valley in the Cardamom Mountains have sparked fierce debate. Should plans go ahead important ecosystems for the many rare species found in the Cardamom Mountain National Park would be destroyed. Moreover, local minority populations would be displaced, and their traditions likely lost. The negative social and environmental implications with hydropower are clear, and yet their power generating potential still presents an important renewable energy source. Much of the power promised through the completion of hydroelectric dams in Southeast Asia is exported to Thailand or China, and not retained in the countries where the dams are built. Therefor, not only do local populations suffer from the damage caused by river flow disruption and environmental destruction, they most often do not even benefit from the power generated. Hence plans to expand hydropower must be met with skepticism.