ASEAN includes 10 countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam. These countries have abundant hydropower resources. In this issue, we will continue to reveal the distribution of hydropower resources in six ASEAN countries, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Brunei, and Singapore.

Cambodia

Cambodia has abundant hydropower resources, mainly concentrated in the Mekong River basin. In recent years, the Cambodian government has actively promoted hydropower development and has built multiple hydropower stations, such as Tonle Sap Hydropower Station and Kamchuwa Hydropower Station. The installed capacity of hydropower in Cambodia is approximately 10000 megawatts, and there are approximately 63 alternative locations for hydropower projects of all sizes in the country.

As of 2021, over 51% of Cambodia's domestic energy production comes from renewable energy. Most of it comes from hydropower (44.17%), while solar and biomass energy account for approximately 7%. The country's electricity supply system is not stable, and electricity prices are significantly higher than those of other neighboring countries.

Cambodia's domestic energy supply. Source: Electricity Authority of Cambodia

The main government department responsible for the development of the hydropower industry in Cambodia is MME (formerly known as MIME), the State Power Company Electricity du Cambodia (EdC) is responsible for the daily management of the power sector, and the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC) is responsible for issuing power generation and transmission licenses.

Laos

Laos is known as the "Southeast Asian Battery", with over 20 rivers over 200 kilometers across the country and a huge hydropower potential of over 18000 megawatts, excluding the main stream of the Mekong River and up to 27000 megawatts of hydropower.

The Mekong River Basin is the main region for hydropower development in Laos. Laos currently has 91 active hydropower and coal-fired projects, with a total installed capacity of 11661 megawatts and an annual power generation of 58813 gigawatts per hour, providing electricity to 95% of households nationwide.

Electricity exports have become an important driving force for the Lao economy. According to media reports, over the years, the contribution rate of electricity to GDP has exceeded 10%, and the contribution rate of exports has exceeded 30%. The main export destinations are Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, etc.

The Lao government encourages foreign capital to invest in the development of hydropower resources in Laos, with the investment model mainly being the BOT model. The franchise period is generally 30 years (including the construction period), which is extended with special permission from the government. During the project operation period, the Lao government provides certain preferential policies such as tax exemptions and legal exemptions, including free rental of project construction land and exemption from all taxes except for 1% resource tax and personal income tax.

Myanmar

There are four major rivers and numerous tributaries in Myanmar, namely the Irrawaddy River, the Salween River, the Qindun River, and the Shidang River, with huge hydroelectric potential. Its estimated exploitable potential is approximately 39000 megawatts. Myanmar has developed some hydropower projects, such as the Myitsone and Padong hydropower stations. According to data collected by the Myanmar Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MOEE), 28 hydropower stations have been put into operation with a total installed capacity of 3215 megawatts. The Yeywa hydropower station is located in Mandalay Province and is the largest hydropower station in Myanmar with an installed capacity of 790 megawatts. The second largest is Shweli located in Shan State, with an installed capacity of 600 megawatts. From the perspective of ownership, there are 23 state-owned enterprises, 2 public-private partnerships, and 3 joint ventures.

Myanmar is a country plagued by war and conflict, and due to infrastructure and financial constraints, Myanmar's hydropower development potential has only been utilized by 5.9%. The country currently has one of the lowest electrification rates in Asia, with only half of the population having access to electricity and rural areas without a national grid, making the situation even worse.

Vietnam

Vietnam has great potential in hydroelectric power generation. Three quarters of the northwest region is mountainous, with over 3450 water systems and dense river systems. Hydropower resources are mainly concentrated in the Red River and Mekong River basins, with an average annual rainfall of approximately 1800 to 2000 millimeters. According to calculations, the total installed capacity of hydropower in Vietnam is about 35000 megawatts, with 60% concentrated in the north, 27% distributed in the central region, and 13% distributed in the south. The technological potential (exploitable potential) is approximately 26000 megawatts, equivalent to nearly 970 planned projects, with an annual power generation capacity of over 100 billion kilowatt hours, of which 800 projects are mainly small hydropower, with a total power generation capacity of approximately 1.5-20 billion kilowatt hours per year.

Brunei

Brunei mainly relies on oil and natural gas resources, and hydropower resources also have certain potential. The Brunei government regards the Tambolon Basin as a potential area for hydropower development, with an estimated annual potential power generation of 300 gigawatts per hour. At present, the largest water conservancy project in Brunei is the Urudu East Dam, which was won through a joint bid between China National Water Resources and Hydropower Construction Corporation International and the Brunei Encyclopedia Company in the host country.

Singapore

Due to its limited land area, Singapore has relatively few hydropower resources. Singapore mainly relies on imported natural gas and other renewable energy sources.

In short, the ten ASEAN countries have abundant hydropower resources, but their development level and potential utilization vary. In the future, with the improvement of infrastructure and the growth of energy demand, ASEAN countries are expected to further develop and utilize hydropower resources.