AKIPRESS.COM - Russia's Prime Minister raised concerns over impact of Mongolia's HPPs on Lake Baikal on sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Ulaanbaatar earlier this month, according to The Siberian Times.

The concern is expressed amid fears that before any planned hydro developments come on stream, Baikal – the oldest and deepest lake in the world – has entered a new period of naturally low water levels which may last for a quarter of century. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree according to which was set a new official 'minimum' level for Baikal is 455.5 meters above sea level. The previous level set in 2001 was 456 meters.

Mongolia has announced plans to build a cascade of hydropower plants, including one on the Selenga (Shuren) River, and two on Selenga tributaries – the Orkhon and Egyin Gol. Russian officials see this as posing a 'serious ecological threat' to Lake Baikal. Up to 50% of its annual water inflow is from the Selenga.

The Russian Natural Resources and Ecology Ministry opposes the Mongolian hydropower project. As previously reported, it managed to persuade the World Bank to put a freeze on financing of the Mongolian hydropower plants and offered Mongolia alternative supplies of Russian electric power.

Expanding the capacity of the Gusinoozersk-Darkhan power transmission line is seen as an option.

Another possibility is to make Mongolia a transit country for Russian electric power supply to China.

Lake Baikal is a national heritage of Russia, on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the Selenga is the main tributary of this lake, which means the construction of a dam needs to be coordinated with the Russian government and UNESCO.