Shuren Hydro-Electric Station

Development Project

Mongolia is expected to enjoy high levels of sustained economic growth over the coming decade due to its rapidly developing mining sector. The rising demand for new sources of energy heavily outweighs current supply, creating the need for a reliable and sustainable domestic energy supply. Mongolia has a hydropower potential of 56000 GWh per year but has only harnessed one percent (75 GWh) of this potential. This obvious void has created the possibility for a high impact investment with considerable growth potential.

After the recent success of a hydroelectric pilot project, the Mongolian Government has given highest priority status to the development of a large-scale hydropower facility on Mongolia's largest river, the Selenge. The proposed project will provide solutions to a long list of socioeconomic and environmental issues by satisfying long-term peak load demand, reducing hazardous pollution levels, reducing dependence on high cost Russian energy imports and creating energy security and independence.

The ongoing development of large scale mining projects over the next decade will create enormous demand for electricity, which cannot be met by existing supply. Mongolia currently imports high cost energy from Russia to cover its peak capacity consumption, a dependence that will only increase with the growth in mining. Currently, Mongolia's energy sector consists almost exclusively of coal-fired thermal power plants, which have contributed to high levels of air pollution in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar and created a potential health risk for over 1 million people, effectively one third of Mongolia's population. Desertification due to climate change poses another considerable risk, with local warming reaching 2.0 degrees, 3 times the global average. It is therefore imperative that Mongolia develop a secure and sustainable mix of domestic energy sources to cover rising demand, reduce air pollution and carbon emissions and reduce dependence on Russia.

The Shuren Hydropower project represents a near perfect solution to Mongolia's energy needs and will be a major step towards sustainable socieconomic development. The project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 700,000 tons per year and generate energy that is infinitely renewable, clean and domestically supplied. In addition, the the facility will provide water storage, energy storage and flood and drought mitigation. DBM has been entrusted with the responsibility of financing the project and is currently reaching out to investors.

devonalec@gmail.com

Day one on the job

Just got to the office for my first day about two hours ago...  So far its very quiet.  I have been researching about Mongolia's economy, reading a lot documents about Mongolia's equity market, economic growth, political system, currency performance, IPOs (initial public offerings), FDI (foreign direct investment), M&A, (mergers and acquisitions), exports and geopolitical relations.  Did you know that Mongolia has the second best performing currency in the world?  Last year Mongolia's tugrik outperformed all the world's currencies for most of the year until the Australian dollar (AUD) surpassed it with only a few weeks left before year's end.  When I say it was the best performing I mean that it appreciated in value relative to other currencies.  That would mean that Mongolian purchasing power in the global market increases, but it became more expensive for other countries to trade with Mongolia...right?

Mongolia is also the second fastest growing economy globally and it is expected to be the fastest growing economy in 2013 with a projected growth rate of 20% when the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine comes into operation.  If I had a lot of money I would definitely invest in Mongolia.