Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Cambodia Halts Hydropower Construction on Mekong River Until 2030

Leonie Kijewski

   PHNOM PENH - Experts in Cambodia have welcomed the government's recent
   halt on hydropower development on the Mekong River until 2030, but
   called on the government to focus on renewable energies.

   The spokesman for the Ministry of Mines and Energy's General
   Department, Victor Jona, told VOA on Tuesday that no further hydropower
   dams were needed on the Mekong River main stream for the next 10 years
   to meet energy demand.

   "From 2020 to 2030, there will not be any developments of hydropower on
   the main river," he said.

   The announcement effectively pauses the development of the two planned
   dams, Sambor and Stung Treng.

   Other tributaries, however, are excluded from this halt. For example,
   an 80 megawatt plant in Stung Pursat Province was still on the table,
   Victor Jona said. The government also did not exclude the possibility
   of further hydropower projects on the river after 2030.

.