The study of the potential of the Mekong River for run-of-river hydroelectric development began almost 25 years ago, taking into account the joint development of navigation and other water usages, following the model of the multipurpose Rhône run of river cascade in France.
Guidelines for locks were established by the Mekong River Commission (MRC) in 2009.
Today, a first hydropower development is under construction in Xayaburi (Laos), with a lock allowing to cross a lift of 39 m.
Project reviews of high lift locks are being developed for several other developments under study in Laos.
CNR has contributed and is currently contributing to all these stages of joint development of hydroelectricity and navigation on the Mekong River, both on behalf of the MRC and on behalf of the Government of Laos.
The purpose of the paper is to highlight, along with the example of the Mekong at its various stages, the right principles and points of attention, to allow the harmonious development of navigation and hydroelectricity, on large rivers where modern navigation is emerging and where no major navigation works exist.
The paper will notably deal with :
- The importance of global conception of the cascade, on contrast with a succession of disconnected development schemes
- The search of the good compromise between the performance and safety for navigation, on one hand and the acceptable financial effort for the hydropower developer on the other hand, both at the guidelines adjustement phase and at the phase of guidelines enforcement for a new project review.