Joint panel discusses Pak Beng hydropower project

 
 The project is proposed for the Mekong mainstream in the northern territory of Laos. The run-of-river project, with capacity of 912 megawatts and an average annual generation of 4,775 gigawatts, is expected to produce power for domestic supply and export. 
The dam is located between the Jinghong hydropower project in China and the Xayaburi hydropower project in Laos.
 At the first meeting of the PNPCA, the JCWG discussed several key issues that require advance attention and a common understanding and agreement to ensure the successful implementation of a six-month prior-consultation process of the project, with the aim of increasing the joint benefits and cooperation.
 Dr Inthavy Akkharath, chairman of the meeting and acting secretary-general of the Lao National Mekong Committee and representative on the JCWG for Laos, said: “The prior consultation will allow us, as the MRC member countries, and other relevant stakeholders to discuss and provide views on the Pak Beng hydropower project. 
“We will review [whether] the Pak Beng project reflects a reasonable and equitable use of the Mekong River system and how it could be done to avoid, minimise and mitigate negative impacts, especially those of a trans-boundary nature.”
At the end of the meeting, the participants agreed that a regional stakeholder meeting in February and a field visit to Pak Beng in April would be organised to exchange and share information, investigate the site, and discuss and document legitimate concerns.
“We are pleased with the discussion and agreement on a range of issues today which set a clear milestone and time frame of the six-month prior-consultation process of the Pak Beng hydropower project,” said Pham Tuan Phan, chief executive of the MRCS. 
“We hope that with the MRCS support, at the end of the six-month process the joint committee can come up with a clear decision and recommendations for the Pak Beng hydropower project.”
The Mekong River Commission is the intergovernmental body responsible for cooperation on the sustainable management of the Mekong basin, whose members include Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. It serves as a regional platform for water diplomacy as well as a knowledge hub of water-resource management for the sustainable development of the region. 
It is not a supra-national or regulatory body. The commission looks across all sectors including sustaining fisheries, identifying opportunities for agriculture, maintaining the freedom of navigation, flood management and preserving important ecosystems. Superimposed on these are the future effects of more extreme floods, prolonged drought and sea-level rise associated with climate change.