Sinohydro Corporation - China's Leading Hydropower Dam Company

Sinohydro Corporation is a Chinese hydropower company with a registered capital of US$583 million and total assets of US$7,615 million. Sinohydro was founded in 1988 as a state-owned enterprise, subject to the rules and regulations of China’s State Council.

Sinohydro is involved in constructing many large projects, such as China’s Three Gorges Project and other major dam projects throughout China, including Xiluodu and Xiangjiaba on the upper Yangtze River (Jinsha River), the Jinping and Xiaowan dams on the upper Mekong River, and the Laxiwa Dam on the upper Yellow River. Sinohydro is also involved in many controversial hydropower projects overseas, including the Merowe Dam in Sudan,  the Bakun Dam in Malaysia, and possibly the Grand Inga Dam in Congo. In total, Sinohydro is building at least 38 large dams in 22 different countries outside of China (see list of China’s overseas dams). 

Since 2004, Sinohydro has repeatedly received low grades by China’s State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, due to poor safety records, construction and environmental accidents and pollution. International Rivers believes that Sinohydro should adopt an environmental policy reflecting international best practice to improve its environmental and safety performance both within and outside China.

Sinohydro has embraced some of the Chinese government’s attempts to promote effective environmental management, but has failed to meaningfully implement these systems. For example, Sinohydro Engineering Bureau No. 1 has achieved ISO 14001 certification and thus, is required to have an environment policy. But the policy has not been released to the public and it is unclear what standards Sinohydro applies to its international hydropower projects.