The catchment area of this dam is 553,000 square kilometers (55,300,000 hectares) [Source: Hobomap]

An engineering, procurement and construction contract with Sinohydro was signed on 15 October 2015 allowing the start of construction. Don Sahong hydropower project was completed construction in late 2019 and began commercial operations in January 2020. [Source: Hobomap & International Rivers]

Cambodia’s purchase price from the Don Sahong dam, which lies about 2 km north of the border in Laos, is $07.295 per kilowatt. The deal will last for 30 years.

Cambodia’s purchase price from the Don Sahong dam, which lies about 2 km north of the border in Laos, is $07.295 per kilowatt. The deal will last for 30 years. The cost of the project development is US$ 500 million (estimate) [Source: Hobomap]

Since this dam located on Mekong mainstream, this project was required to go through MRC’s procedure of notification, prior consultation and agreement (PNPCA) underthe 1995 MRC Mekong Agreement. However, there was no meaningful consultation with communities downstream in Cambodia, or indication of specific measures of compensation for local affected communities. [Source: International Rivers & WWF]

Local communities said that since the project started, they lost income because it was difficult for them to make income from fishing as they used to do before the project. Displaced people also said that the compensation they got was not enough to make restore new livelihood. [Source: RFA Lao] Listen to the voice of local villagers on how their livelihoods has changed since there [is Don Sahong dam by RFA: https://youtu.be/BpPksGkoIdA ]

The dam will allegedly impact the migration of fish that are now abundant, the flow of sediment that currently fertilizes the crops, and the habitat of the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins that support the local tourist economy therefor threatenin the life and livelihoods of Mekong River communities.

The dam will allegedly impact the migration of fish that are now abundant, the flow of sediment that currently fertilizes the crops, and the habitat of the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins that support the local tourist economy therefor threatening the life and livelihoods of Mekong River communities The dam threatens the existing of the most endangered fish species, ‘Irrawaddy dolphin’. An independent review of the Don Sahong environmental impact assessment (EIA) concluded that the project poses a high risk to the already vulnerable species and is likely to cause the extirpation of the remaining dolphin population in Lao PDR. Construction of the dam has blocked the Hou Sahong channel to fish passage, affecting dry season fish movement between the Lower Mekong floodplains and Tonlé Sap and the upper reaches of the Lower Mekong Basin. [Source: International Rivers]

World Wildlife Fund (WWF), International Rivers, EarthRights International, Save the Mekong coalition. In October 2014, a national and international coalition of NGO's, including International Rivers, filed acomplaint with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM), urging the commission to ensure Malaysian company Mega First complies with international human rights standards. Among these are the right to life and livelihood and the obligation to inform affected communities. After initially accepting the complaint, SUHAKAM unfortunately concluded it lacked the mandate for foreign investment projects of Malaysian companies. However, SUHAKAM did recommend Mega First to respect the human rights of people affected by the companies projects. In February 2016, the United Nations Human Rights Council notified the governments of Laos and Malaysia, as well as the Malaysian company Mega First, of their concerns on alleged human rights violations regarding the Don Sahong dam project. [Source: Factsheet od Don Sahong Dam by IR & Bank Track]

Residential Area for Communities; River is used as Fishing Area

Residential Area for Communities; River is used as Fishing Area The Khone Falls area is well known for its abundant and versatile fisheries, with more than 201 fish species known to reside in the area at least part of the year. Prior to construction of the dam, at least 100 species were reported to migrate through the Hou Sahong channel, some traveling from as far as the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. [Source: International Rivers]

In the SIA report, there was a gender mainstreaming strategy that project planned to implement in the project especially on gender awareness training to address the different needs of women and men in the resettlement and livelihood restoration and development process. [Source: SIA report (2013)]