The Baram Dam, also known as Baram 1 Dam, (Baram Hydro-electric Dam Project) is a proposed gravity dam on the

Baram River The Baram River ( ms, Sungai Baram) is a river in Sarawak on the island of Borneo. The river originates in the Kelabit Highlands, a watershed demarcated by the Iran Mountains of East Kalimantan, which form a natural border with Sarawak. The riv ...

Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

. The site of the dam is inland from

Miri ) , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = State , subdivision_name1 = , subdivision_type2 = Division , subdivision_name2 ...

, the second largest city in Sarawak. The dam is part of the

Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy The Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy ("SCORE") is an economic region and development corridor covering central Sarawak, a Malaysian State on the island of Borneo. SCORE was launched in 2008. It is one of the five regional development corridors ...

and, if completed, would support a 1,200 MW power station. In November 2015, the Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri

Adenan Satem Pehin Sri Tan Sri Haji Adenan bin Haji Satem ( ms, حاج عدنان بن حاج صتيم , label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; 27 January 1944 – 11 January 2017), popularly known as Tok Nan, was a Malaysian politician who served as the ...

announced that the Sarawak government had decided to shelf the Baram Dam because the people in Baram did not welcome the plan.

Design

If built, the dam will be tall and its reservoir will cover an area of . The length of the dam at its crest will be . A tall

saddle dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, ...

about southwest of the main dam will help retain the reservoir.

Background

Baram 1 is one of 12 dams to be constructed in

and is being developed by

Sarawak Energy Sarawak Energy is the electric utility company of the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is one of Malaysia's three electrical companies, the other two being Tenaga Nasional, supplying the Peninsular Malaysia, and Sabah Electricity, which serves t ...

. It is the next to be constructed after

Murum Dam The Murum Dam is a gravity dam on the Murum River in Sarawak, Malaysia. Construction began in 2008. The dam's reservoir began to fill in July 2013 and the first generator was commissioned in December 2014. The fourth and final turbine began oper ...

's reservoir impounded in 2013.

Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation SMEC Holdings Limited (formerly Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation) is an Australian based-firm that provides consulting services on major infrastructure projects around the world. SMEC undertakes feasibility studies, design, tender and contra ...

is carrying out the design of the dam and 1,200 MW power station. In 2010, Fitchner completed a feasibility study on the dam and power station. In November 2012, the Social and Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) for the project began. On 11 July 2014, the Sarawak state government has unofficially approved the dam project although the SEIA report has not been completed. As of 17 December 2014, Sarawak Energy announced that it has yet to complete a comprehensive feasibility study and SEIA report due to ongoing protests against the Baram dam project. Corruption has also been alleged, the Baram MP Jacob Dungau Sagan, currently the Malaysian Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, was accused of supporting the project after obtaining RM63 million worth of contracts and timber concessions for the Baram district. He dismissed it as a political ploy ahead of parliamentary elections.

Impacts

Displacement

At least 20,000 people from 25

longhouse A longhouse or long house is a type of long, proportionately narrow, single-room building for communal dwelling. It has been built in various parts of the world including Asia, Europe, and North America. Many were built from timber and often rep ...

s would be displaced if the dam is built, according to

International Rivers International Rivers is a non-profit, non-governmental, environmental, and human rights organization. Founded in 1985 by social and environmental activists, International Rivers works with policy and financial analysts, scientists, journalists, ...

. The feasibility study estimated that 6,000 to 8,000 people from 32 longhouses would be displaced. This number has also been verified by Miri Resident's office. The displaced communities mostly consisted of

Kenyah The Kenyah people are an indigenous, Austronesian-speaking people of Borneo, living in the remote Baram Lio Matoh, Long Selaan, Long Moh, Long Anap, Long Mekaba, Long Jeeh, Long Belaong, Long San, Long Silat, Long Tungan, Data Kakus ...

, Kayan, and

Penan The Penan are a nomadic indigenous people living in Sarawak and Brunei, although there is only one small community in Brunei; among those in Brunei half have been converted to Islam, even if only superficially. Penan are one of the last such pe ...

communities. In the upcoming SEIA, a household register would be developed for proposed resettlement of the displaced communities. According to Sarawak Energy, the dam project would accelerate the development of Baram township and to provide work opportunities and better infrastructure development for the local communities. With the threat of displacement, protests by locals and international anti-dam groups against the dam have been common and have stalled preliminary construction such as access-road building. In September 2012, a document containing thousands of signatures was submitted to Sarawak's Chief Minister office. However, also in 2012, the Federation of Orang Ulu Association Malaysia, a group representing local ethnic groups dwelling near the site, pledged their support to the project. A group of 300 indigenous people staged a demonstration during IHA 2013 World Congress held by

International Hydropower Association The International Hydropower Association (IHA) is a non-profit, international organisation and membership association representing the global hydropower sector. IHA has members in more than 80 countries, including over 100 corporate and affiliat ...

(IHA) at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching in May 2013. Written demands were submitted to executive director of IHA, Richard M Taylor. On 23 October 2013, native protesters disrupted 30 Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) workers who were doing geological studies at the proposed construction area. Road blockades have impacted construction, one blockade has been erected near Long Lama and another one was erected near the proposed dam construction site. The blockade continued for nearly one year until 21 October 2014 when 50 police personnel dismantled the "KM15" blockade at Long Kesseh. Another blockade was re-erected few hours later. On 23 October 2014, the protesters celebrated one-year anniversary of the continuing blockade. In November 2015, the late Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri

said that the Sarawak government had decided that the Baram Dam project had been shelved, though this is described as "temporary".

References

{{Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy Hydroelectric power stations in Malaysia Environmental issues in Malaysia Dams in Sarawak Cancelled hydroelectric power stations Roller-compacted concrete dams Dam controversies Proposed renewable energy power stations in Malaysia

Design

Background

Impacts

Displacement

See also

References