AN AGREEMENT to build a new water dam in Ulu Tutong, to cost about $80-$90 million, will be signed at noon today between the Ministry of Development and Sinohydro-Pahaytc Venture Sdn Bhd, a company under China’s Sinohydro Corporation.

Sinohydro is a company that owns 70 per cent of the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric dam.

The Three Gorges dam is located in Hubei Province of China, and the construction cost amounted to US$26 billion.

Speaking to The Brunei Times in a phone interview, Song Shiwei, commercial manager of Sinohydro-Pahaytc, confirmed that Sinohydro would be in-charge of the development of the dam in Ulu Tutong.

He added the dam would be developed only for water supply, and would not be for hydropower.

Asked why Sinohydro was chosen to develop the dam, Song stressed that water dam development was the core specialty of the company, and technology wise, the company was almost 20 to 30 years ahead of the competition.

He said the Bakun Dam in Sarawak was also a project under Sinohydro.

The Bakun Dam is a $3 billion hydroelectric dam about the size of Singapore, located in the Borneo jungle.

Brunei currently has three dams, the Mengkubau Dam in Mentiri, the Tasek Dam in Bandar and the Benutan Dam in Tutong.

The Kagu Dam is under construction in Labi.

There is another water dam in Imang, but only used to supply water for agricultural purposes in Wasan and the surrounding area.

Source: The Brunei Times