(March 1, 1998) A concession agreement for the Nam Ngum II project was signed by the government of the Lao PDR and the Shlapak Group Co, Ltd on March 17 at the Lao Hotel Plaza.
Other News Sources
World Bank backs dam project in Laos
(March 1, 1998) The World Bank spoke openly for the first time this week about its strong commitment to the Nam Theun 2 hydro-electric dam in Laos and vowed it would not drop the project because of pressure from the public outside the country.
Probe Alert March 1998
A leaked report by the World Bank Inspection Panel has revealed that the bank committed a “serious violations of its policies and procedures” in approving its most recent loan to India’s National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) for the massive and controversial thermal power and coal mining projects in the Singrauli area of India.
Lesotho water transfers- no cause for celebration
(February 24, 1998) Today marks the inauguration of the first water supply from Lesotho to South Africa. However, it is not a day to celebrate.
Do-good Bank can’t please all
(February 11, 1998) WASHINGTON — When the president of the World Bank, James Wolfensohn, visited Indonesia earlier this month, he expected to offer $600 million in loans to help fight poverty there.
Reservoir-induced seismicity in China
(1998) A review of case histories of reservoir-induced seismicity (RIS) in China shows that it mainly occurs in granitic and karst terranes. Seismicity in granitic terranes is mainly associated with pore pressure diffusion whereas in karst terranes the chemical effect of water appears to play a major role in triggering RIS. In view of the characteristic features of RIS in China, we can expect moderate earthquakes to be induced by the construction of the Three Gorges Project on the Yangtze River.
Hydropower development on the Upper Mekong (Lancang Jiang): Potential for cooperation or conflict in the Mekong region?
(January 7, 1998) View report
Three Gorges Madness: An Interview with Dai Qing
(December 24, 1997) The Daughter of a revolutionary martyr, a former missile technician and one-time intelligence agent, Dai Qing is China’s foremost investigative reporter. Dai Qing first criticized China’s Three Gorges dam project in the Chinese daily press, and compiled and edited Yangtze!, Yangtze!, a collection of essays by prominent Chinese intellectuals opposed to the dam, in 1989.
Don’t repay unjust debts
(December 12, 1997) If South Africa is serious about reconciliation and justice, we need to look creatively at the burden of debt incurred by the previous government.
TERRA briefing paper: The Xekaman 1 hydroelectric dam
(December 1, 1997) After years of delay, construction could soon begin on the proposed Xekaman 1 hydroelectric dam in the southern Lao province of Attapeu.
Privatization of Thailand’s Power Sector Squashes Competition, Protects Private Sector Cronies
(November 20, 1997) A study released this week by Probe International, a division of Canada’s Energy Probe Research Foundation, says that privatization of Thailand’s electric utility (EGAT) is plagued by half-measures that protect EGAT’s monopoly and its private sector cronies at the expense of Thai consumers. Without effective reform, the study warns, consumers will have to pay more for electricity.
Shattered Rwanda vows to repay billion dollar debt
(November 17, 1997) Rwanda’s economy has been shattered by years of ethnic conflict, but it has vowed to repay all foreign debts incurred by previous regimes even if the money was used to repress Rwandans.
Nam Theun future still cloudy
(November 17, 1997) Seldom has an Asian electricity project been so dogged before it has been given the formal go-ahead as the 681 MW Nam Theun 2 dam project in Laos. But that is the case with this project in Laos’ central highlands, endorsed by the operations committee of the World Bank on October 31.
China dams third major river in a month
(November 12, 1997) China has dammed its third major river in a month in an effort to boost hydro-electric power capacity, the China Daily reported Wednesday.
PRESS RELEASE Crisis loom as engineers prepare to dam Three Gorges
(November 7, 1997) As engineers prepare to divert the Yangtze River and build a temporary coffer dam, longtime concerns raised by international experts are becoming technical problems at China’s Three Gorges dam site.
Patricia Adams
Dai Qing
Fan Xiao
Lawrence Solomon
Mu Lan
Probe International
Lisa Peryman
Probe Media
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Probe International 