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dam-l Son La Dam



>>
>>
>>Son La dam feasibility study consultant selected
>>
>>The Vietnamese government has chosen a Moscow-based company
>>to carry out a feasibility study for the 3,600 MW Son La
>>dam. The company, Designing Survey Research and Production
>>Shareholding Company, previously worked on the Hoa Binh dam.
>>
>>The contract is valued at US$775,000. The study will be
>>finished by the end of 1998 with construction planned to
>>start in late 1999 and electricity generation to begin by
>>2010.
>>
>>The Russian government has shown an interest in the US$3-4
>>billion project for several years. In September 1995, the
>>Russian Energy Minister paid a working visit to Vietnam, and
>>two months later, the Russian Ambassador to Vietnam said
>>that Russia is ready to help with construction of the dam,
>>and would offer "the lowest possible construction costs".
>>Vietnamese and international consultants have produced a
>>series of studies since 1965, when the Vietnamese government
>>first began to study the Son La project. In 1994 the
>>Japanese consultants Electricity and Power Distribution
>>Company reviewed the Vietnamese Power Investigation and
>>Design Company No. 1 's feasibility study. Subsequently, the
>>Swedish consultant firm SWECO produced an inception study
>>which according to the terms of reference was to be the
>>first stage of an effort to seek funding from international
>>financing agencies. The state agency Electricity of Vietnam
>>completed a pre-feasibility study of the project in
>>September 1996. In 1996 in response to a request from the
>>Australian NGO Aid/Watch for information about the Bank's
>>involvement in the project, Donna Haldane, Senior Country
>>Officer for Vietnam stated, "The World Bank has no present
>>plans to finance either the feasibility studies for Son La,
>>nor the dam itself. We are not aware of other international
>>agencies that might be involved in this project."
>>
>>Although Bank staff deny it. the World Bank has been
>>involved with studies for the dam. According to a World Bank
>>Staff Appraisal Report dated April 1995, the Bank funded
>>"engineering studies for the Son La hydropower project for
>>the Ministry of Energy".
>>
>>In January 1997, the World Bank conditionally agreed to fund
>>a feasibility study, at a cost of US$ 13 .5 million ( 17
>>times more expensive than the cost of the Designing Survey
>>Research and Production Shareholding Company's current
>>study).
>>
>>The Bank's then-Resident Representative in Hanoi, Bradley
>>Babson said, "We are not financing the dam, but we may
>>provide funds to make sure that they do the studies for the
>>dam in a way that will fit international standards."
>>However, in February 1997 Van Tien Hung, Operations Officer
>>at the Bank's office in Hanoi, told Aid/Watch that the Bank
>>had refused to consider any funding for Son La until a
>>National Hydropower Plan was drawn up for Vietnam.
>>
>>Sources: Vietnam Investment Review 15-21.9.97, The Nation
>>12.7.96, Vietnam News 1.11.95, Saigon Times 18.9.96. Water
>>Briefing via NewsNet 10.1.96.
>>
>>Watershed Vol. 8 No. 2:5 (November 1997 - February 1998)
>>>>[You can get the Watershed Journal - for prices
>>- email: terraper@comnet.ksc.net.th]
>>
>>
>>----------------------------------------------------------------
>>Vern Weitzel <vern@coombs.anu.edu.au> tel/fax: +61 (2) 6254-0166
>>Australia Vietnam Science-Technology Link  (an Australia-Vietnam
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