TaSang Dam

The Tasang Dam is a planned multi-purpose dam on the Salween River in Shan State in Myanmar. The dam will be built 480 km north-east of Rangoon and 52.8 kilometers west of Mong Tong. It will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Burma and the largest dam in Southeast Asia. The Tasang Dam will cost more than 6 billion U.S. $.

Expansion of the Salween

The Tasang Dam is the first and largest of five who wants to build on the Salween, the government of Myanmar. Project studies date back to the year 1981. Thailand is the main investor and 85 % of the electricity generated will be exported to Thailand. There is already a reservoir in the upper reaches of the Salween.

Building

The dam is to be a 228 m high dam CFR. The hydropower plant will have a capacity of 7110 MW and generate 35 446 GWh of electricity annually.

Contracting party

The client is the national electricity utility, Myanmar Electric Power. Project participants are the Thai Thai MDX Group as the main contractor, the Chinese China Gezhouba Group Co., Sinohydro Corporation, China Southern Power Grid Co., China Three Gorges Project Corporation and British society Malcolm Dunstan & Associates.

Construction work

The groundbreaking ceremony took place in March 2007. It previously streets, accommodations and power supplies were built near the site. Since then hardly works have taken place. Completion is expected in 2022.

Criticism

There is considerable local and international opposition to the project. Since 1996 already are 100,000 to 300,000 people, mainly from the people of Shan, have been resettled. The 870 km ² water surface of the reservoir, which is located near the Chinese border, will share the Shan State, mostly in two halves. Social problems, civil unrest, environmental problems and human rights violations are concerned.