Stung Treng Dam

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Stung Treng Dam is a planned hydropower project on the Mekong River in Stung Treng Province, Cambodia. If built, it would be an earth-core rock-fill gravity dam about 10.8 kilometers long and 22 meters high. The reservoir would cover about 211 square kilometers, hold around 70 million cubic meters of water, and extend roughly 50 kilometers upstream. The dam would have a hydraulic head of 15.2 meters, with ten turbines of 98 MW each, for a total capacity of 980 MW and an average generation of about 4,870 GWh per year.

Status and concerns: The project is not yet built and is planned to open after 2030. It is controversial because it could affect fisheries and the environment, including fish migration and sediment flow. The site lies within a Ramsar-protected wetland, which adds wildlife considerations. Some studies warn that fish yields could decline by 6% to 24%.

History: In 2007 a Russian company was licensed to study the dam, and in 2009 a memorandum with IDICO led to another feasibility study, but results were not released. In 2020 Cambodia halted Mekong hydropower development until 2030, delaying Stung Treng and nearby Sambor. In 2022 some groups began feasibility work at multiple sites. Displacement: up to about 21 villages (2,059 households and 10,617 people) could be affected.