Safety awareness is especially important in the rainy season when reservoirs are full to capacity and the most strain is placed on dam walls, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Thursday.
Operations managers should monitor the condition of all structures and floodgates, which must be in good working order and ready for use. In addition, emergency plans must be up to date and dam operators should remain in full communication with local authorities and communities living downstream so that they are aware of and well prepared for any possible incident.
The Ministry of Energy and Mines has been working to strengthen management to ensure sustainable development of hydropower, in the wake of the disastrous collapse of a dam in the southern Attapeu province in 2018.