Located some 96 km from Da Nang City, the commercial and educational centre of Central Vietnam, Song Bung 4 project is one piece of Vietnam’s energy puzzle, as the country faces an energy demand that grows at an average rate of 15 per cent per year.

From 2005 to 2012, Vietnam's installed hydropower capacity increased from 4,150MW to about 12,000MW, and a further 17,000MW is planned by 2020. In this context, the country looks at increasing its technical and financing capacity with the help of international players.

Song Bung 4, a project which was discussed during a focus session at our recent 2013 World Congress, is the first hydropower project in Vietnam to receive financing from multilateral institutions. With regard to environmental and social impacts, a particular focus was put on a “full participatory process” throughout the preparation and planning, along with various studies on the socio-economic situation.  

It was also essential to the relocation that all stakeholders worked with the affected people on the action plan.  As a result of the work on this relocation, the Vietnemese Government policies and practices are now more consistent with international good practices.