groups of people in asia and africa. and in facilities it's a business is something in the water as we seek to harvest more energy from sustainable sources hydro power is growing in importance especially along major waterways like the mekong river in southeast asia there are already dozens of dams in its basin and plenty more planned a big plant has just gone online in laos but opponents say the ecological and social costs are too high the $4500000000.00 a year brewery mega dam seen here under construction and 2016 is just one of many hydroelectric projects being planned along the mekong river in laos the landlocked asian country has set its sights on becoming the battery of asia almost all the power it produces will be sold to a thai energy company the day i'm officially went into operation tuesday with animated videos and other p.r.