ABSTRACT
The countries of mainland Southeast Asia and Yunnan Province, China, threaded together by the Mekong River, are currently enjoying a period of stability and rapid economic growth not experienced for centuries. As a result, the region demands increasing quantities of electricity, especially in China, Thailand and Vietnam. Government electricity-demand forecasts and plans to meet this growth are, however, challenged by civil society. Since the early 1950s, frequently controversial and as-of-yet only partly fulfilled plans for extensive large-scale hydropower development have been high on the agenda of the Mekong country governments. Yet, in a region where millions of people depend upon the natural resources that rivers provide, many proposed dams pose risks for the environment and rural communities, as well as, ultimately, for project developers and the host governments.
