A national consultation meeting was held in Hanoi to examine the potential impacts of the 260mW Don Sahong hydropower plant on the Mekong River in Laos. Nguyen Hong Phuong, Deputy Chief Secretariat of the Standing Office of the Vietnam National Mekong Committee, said the proposed hydropower project was located on the Hou Sahong channel of the Mekong River's main stream. The Don Sahong dam would block the flow of Hou Sahong, disrupting the passage of migratory fish, damaging the biological environment and affecting the livelihood of locals who depended on the river, participants said. The dam would also have potential negative effects on fisheries in the area due to changes in fish migration. In June, Laos announced its decision to have the Don Sahong project undergo a Mekong River Commission consultation process. The Don Sahong hydropower plant is expected to be built on the Dong Sahong River, a mainstream branch of the Mekong River around 3km from the Cambodian border and 420km from Vietnam's border. The Mekong River is the world's 12th longest river. It runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. (Vietnam News Dec 23)
