Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Vu Gia – Thu Bon River Basin Hydropower Plan

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Project Description

The MDCC Forum was established to strengthen the capacity of Vietnam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) and Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) in supporting hydropower development that is sustainable, environmentally responsible, and risk-aware. The forum provided a platform for integrating strategic environmental assessment (SEA) into national hydropower planning, focusing on institutional, policy, and technical development to support long-term capacity building and informed decision-making in the energy sector.

Objectives, Activities and Results

The MDCC Forum centered on three core components. First, an institutional analysis identified gaps and opportunities in SEA policy and practice, proposing appropriate roles for MONRE and EVN and guiding the development of SEA-related structures and responsibilities. Second, the forum facilitated targeted training through a dedicated SEA Focus Group, introductory SEA/CIA sessions, and a study tour to enhance technical knowledge and practical skills. Third, a pilot SEA for hydropower development in the Vu Gia–Thu Bon River Basin was conducted as a real-world demonstration of best practice SEA, including a hands-on GIS training component for spatial scenario analysis. Collectively, these activities built foundational capacity in MONRE and EVN to apply SEA in hydropower planning and environmental governance.

client:

Asian Development Bank (ADB),Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam (MONRE)

LOCATION:

Vietnam

TIME:

June 2006

to August 2007

Publications

This SEA was conducted on a plan already approved by the Quang Nam PPC and MOIT – the hydropower development plan for the Vu Gia – Thu Bon River Basin 2006-2010, a components of the overall power development plan for the province. When approved in 2006, the plan included close to 40 hydropower project proposals. By the time this SEA was completed the number of proposed projects had mounted to over 60, with proposals continuing to come in to the Quang Nam DOI. All eight large hydro projects need to be managed as multi-purpose use facilities for water – to avoid future situations of acute water shortages. This will involve a strategic and co-operative long term approach, and a tactical (day by day, week by week) procedure for reservoir water release operations.

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