Research and develop criteria to evaluate the impact of hydroelectric projects on resources, environment, and socio-economy in the Ma River basin in Son La Province

Abstract

Son La, a mountainous province northwestern of Vietnam, is relatively rich in water resources with 2 rivers flowing through: Da river and Ma river. Within the Ma river basin in Son La province, according to the plan, there are 32 hydropower plant projects with a total capacity of 368.9 MW. However, depending on the scale, capacity, and location, hydropower projects can pose environmental issues. Therefore, the study has proposed the development of a set of criteria to assess the impact of hydropower projects on the mainstream of the Ma river, aiming to maximize the benefits of hydroelectricity while minimizing negative impacts on land, water resources, minerals, the environment, and the socio-economic sectors; serving as a basis for consideration and decision-making on the addition of hydropower projects. The study employed the following methods: Data and literature collection and analysis; Field surveys; Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to evaluate the impacts of hydropower projects on resources, the environment, economy, and society. Based on this, the proposal includes selecting reasonable planning options, eliminating projects that do not yield economic, environmental, and social efficiency in the Ma river basin within Son La province.