Who owns the Xayaburi dam?
Xayaburi Power Company Limited
| Xayaburi Dam | |
|---|---|
| Construction cost | US$3.8 billion |
| Owner(s) | Xayaburi Power Company Limited |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Run-of-river concrete barrage |
What country is Xayaburi dam?
Thailand
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has an agreement to buy 95 percent of the electricity produced from the Xayaburi dam from the project’s developers – Xayaburi Power Company Ltd, which is controlled by Thai construction giant, Ch. Karnchang.
What and where is the Xayaburi dam?
In Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, the Mekong River provides food security, livelihoods, and cultural identity. However, this way of life is now threatened. In 2010, the Lao and Thai governments began building the massive 1,285 megawatt Xayaburi Dam on the Mekong River.
How much did the Xayaburi dam cost?
About Xayaburi dam The US$ 3.8 billion project is expected to generate 1,260 megawatts of electricity, around 95% of which will be exported to Thailand.
Who does the Xayaburi dam benefit?
While hydropower is one of the country’s main exports, Lao PDR still has to import electricity. And although the government says the Xayaburi dam will improve access to electricity for its citizens, nearly all of the power it produces will be sold to Thailand.
Who is building the Xayaburi dam?
Ch Karnchang
If approved, the dam will be built by Thai construction company Ch Karnchang – with support from four Thai banks: Kasikorn Bank, Bangkok Bank, Krung Thai and Siam Commercial (although Siam Commercial Bank recently released a media statement saying it would not sign the loan agreement with the other three banks).
How many dams are in Laos?
Laos has constructed more than 50 dams over the past 15 years. Although the rampant construction in Laos has outpaced electricity demands, a further 50 dams are under construction in rivers and streams around the country.
What are the benefits of the Xayaburi dam?
Is Laos poor?
Landlocked Laos is one of the world’s few remaining communist states and one of East Asia’s poorest. After the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, Laos began opening up to the world. But despite economic reforms, the country remains poor and heavily dependent on foreign aid.
Why is Laos building dams?
Dams keep money flowing It was built in Laos, but construction and financing were spearheaded by Thai companies. The EGAT can also pass on costs of over investing in infrastructure to the consumer through tax hikes under Thailand’s so-called “cost-plus tariff” system.