
A giant dam is part of a national scandal in Ecuador - ilamont
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/24/world/americas/ecuador-china-dam.html
======
Pephers
The Chinese dam building around the world is a tragedy in my opinion (this
isn't limited to just Chinese dams, though). Remote places in undeveloped or
poorly developed parts of the world are utterly destroyed by these dams. Road
building, deforestation, displacement of native species and native people.

I witnessed this first hand while hiking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal a few
years back. A road is being built deep into the valley and not only is it
disrupting the peacefulness and the attraction that is/was a hike through
ancient cultures and landscapes with no roads, but it's also putting people
out of business. Various tea houses (that provide accommodation and meals) lie
now next to a dirt road where trucks race up and down instead of hikers. Many
hikers now take a 4x4 up to high altitudes, skipping the lower parts.

In comparison, a power plant can be controlled with very little staff once the
building is complete.

See also [https://www.balkanrivers.net](https://www.balkanrivers.net) for a
not-so-remote proposed dams.

~~~
cco
I walked that same route 10 years ago, ya know who was building that road and
driving on it? The Nepalese.

They want the road so they don't have to put tanks of kerosene on their backs
and hike it in, they don't want their kids to have a dangerous multi mile hike
to school. The peaceful hike for you is not the concern I can assure you.

------
snowwindwaves
I've commissioned hydro electric turbines and generators manufactured in
China. If it was a Chinese brand the big bits were useable but a lot of
detailed components, systems, and instrumentation was assembled and tested
once and then put in the garbage.

European brands also get some of their big bits manufactured in China but
engineering is performed in Europe and the auxiliary systems and
instrumentation are also European brands and not counterfeit fakes. Also the
European brands will do quality control and offer a performance guarantee and
generally will send competent engineers to make sure their equipment is
assembled and installed and commissioned properly.

a case of you get what you pay for.

------
rudolph9
This kind thing seems like a trend for China. Does anyone know of a list
somewhere with all the nations China loaned money and resources like this?

------
ironic_ali
Sounds like the Chinese have taken Pilger's Economic Hitman as their roadmap
to power and riches.

