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The Nam Theun 2 Hydropower Project, or simply NT2, is a hydroelectric dam located on the Nam Theun River in Laos. Commercial operation of the plant began in March 2010.〔(NT2 Official website ), Retrieved: November 5, 2009〕 The scheme diverts water from the Nam Theun, a tributary of the Mekong River, to the Xe Bang Fai River, enabling a generation capacity of , from a difference in elevation between the reservoir and the power station. It is the largest hydroelectric project so far in Laos, exporting power to Thailand and supplying the local area with electricity. At the time of signing in 2005, NT2 was the largest foreign investment in Laos, the world's largest private sector cross-border power project financing, the largest private sector hydroelectric project financing, and one of the largest internationally financed IPP projects in Southeast Asia. The dam also marked a return by the World Bank to funding large-scale infrastructure, after a decade-long hiatus. According to the government of Laos, "the project is an essential part of the country's development framework and the Project's implementation is likely to be the first real possibility for (Laos) to reduce gradually its dependence on Official Development Assistance".〔(Lao National Committee for Energy )〕 The project has environmental and social impacts, and comprehensive measures have been designed to mitigate these. According to a group of social and environmental experts who advise on the project, these measures could become a global model. Although Newsweek magazine referred to it as a "kinder and gentler dam",〔(World Bank September 2007 )〕 the project also attracted criticism.〔(International Rivers, "Model" Dam Encounters Similar Problems As Previous Projects )〕 == History and current status == The Nam Theun 2 project was identified in the 1980s and a concession was awarded in 1993. It was subjected to a long anti-dam campaign. The project was frozen after the 1997 Asian financial crisis, but preparation resumed in 1999. In October 2002 a concession contract between the NTPC and the government of Laos was signed, followed by the signing of PPAs between NTPC on the one hand and, EGAT and the Laotian state-owned power company Electricite du Laos on the other hand in November 2003. Financial closing was reached in June 2005. The Nam Theun river diversion was created in March 2006 and then closed in April 2008 following completion of the Nakai Dam wall. Impoundment of the Nakai Reservoir occurred over the 2008 wet season and the reservoir was close to full supply level by the end of 2008. Test hydropower generation began in mid-2009 and the Commercial Operation Date was achieved in April 2010.〔(Nam Theun official website ), accessed on May 20, 2010〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Nam Theun 2 Dam」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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