Business

Driving progress or paying the value? Laos’ gamble on hydropower in Southeast Asia

Laos has long pursued an ambitious vision: to change into the "battery of Southeast Asia." For a landlocked country with limited industrial capability, hydropower represents a path to growth, regional importance and energy independence. But as dams grow on the Mekong and its tributaries, so do questions on sustainability, environmental impact and long-term economic resilience. A nation driven by hydropower...