11°37′11″N 103°30′46″E / 11.61972°N 103.51278°E / 11.61972; 103.51278

Cheay Areng Dam was a proposed 108 MW hydroelectric dam on Areng river in Koh Kong Province, southwest of Cambodia. 26°24′30″N 3°58′15″W / 26.40833°N 3.97083°W / 26.40833; -3.97083

China Guodian Corporation once intended to build the dam.[1] Sinohydro Resources Ltd, a holding company for Sinohydro Group, was granted approval in February 2014 for six months of extensive drilling, geological mapping and prospecting in the dam concession.[2]

The project was shelved in 2017 by Prime Minister Hun Sen due to a strong local opposition to the dam.[3] A new coal plant will be constructed in Preah Sihanouk as a compensation.[4]

Environmental and social concerns

Cheay Areng Dam was to be built in the Central Cardamom Protected Forest (CCPF), largest unbroken tract of woodland in Southeast Asia, covering 4,013 km².[1] This area, made up of a series of adjoining national parks, hosts a high biodiversity including 31 endangered animal species, among which the world’s second-largest population of wild Siamese crocodile.[5]

Furthermore, the dam would flow a 20 km² area from which 1500 Chong indigenous people would have to be relocated.[6] Buddhist monks and villagers are against the project.[1] As of 2014, local residents continue to oppose construction of the dam, which would provide power principally to neighboring countries.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Duggleby, Luke (2013-05-16). "Can A Few Monks Save the Cardamom Forest?". The Global Mail. Archived from the original on 2014-10-25. Retrieved 2014-10-24.
  2. ↑ Pye, Daniel (2014-03-25). "Areng Valley mining may unseat dam, National". Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 2014-10-24.
  3. ↑ "Cambodia's Areng indigenous community fight for land and identity". Mekong Commons. 2018-11-02. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
  4. ↑ "Hydropower dams". Open Development Cambodia (ODC). 2 September 2015. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
  5. ↑ Mayhew, Joanna (2014-03-04). "The mysterious Areng Valley - Writer Joanna Mayhew and photographer Conor Wall enter the Cardamom Forest to discover the natural beauty of the mysterious Areng Valley, an area facing an uncertain future". AsiaLIFE Cambodia. Retrieved 2014-10-24.
  6. ↑ "Cheay Areng Dam". International Rivers. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
  7. ↑ Mam, Kalyanee (2014-10-19). "Will Cambodia Flood a Sacred and Biodiverse Valley for a Dubious Dam?". Mother Jones. Retrieved 2014-10-24.


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