The Lao hinterland is estimated to contribute up to one third of the flow of the Mekong River. As a result, it is not difficult to see why hydro and water structures have and will continue to be a mainstay of the developmental landscape in Laos.
However, due to the nature of development and the specific conditions in which water (and more specifically hydropower) structures have been built, there exist a strategic market gap which must be addressed in order to manage structural risk and ensure early warning systems are effectively in place.
Notwithstanding the increasing focus of the Lao Government on safety of dams, dam monitoring systems also empower the regulatory authorities to ensure that the performance of IPP assets are benchmarked and to agree standards when being handed back at the end of their concessional periods.