In Laos, a new dam on the Mekong is endangering the biodiversity of the river, one of the most nourishing in the world.

The mass of cement, bristling with cranes, continues to be consolidated. A stream of trucks chugs along in a cloud of dust. From the green slopes of the mountain, a long motorized conveyor belt continuously transports the rubble needed for the work, feeding with mechanical precision the embankments that restrict the swirling ochre water of the river. Twenty-five kilometers upstream from Luang Prabang, the former royal capital of Laos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995, 15,000 workers have been busy since 2023 building the third hydroelectric dam built by Laos on its section of the Mekong.
Classified as a "run-of-river dam" – because it exploits the natural flow of the river with limited storage – the Luang Prabang dam will nevertheless create a 75-kilometer reservoir, transforming the Mekong into a virtually motionless river over this distance. Approximately 500 families from 20 villages have been or will be displaced to make way for the 53-meter-high bridge, which is expected to be completed in a few years, with the bridge officially scheduled to open in 2030.
You have 86.61% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
Le Monde