The lake covers 36.000 ha. The dam produces 400 megawatt max, let's assume it's producing at its' full capacity each and every day (which of course isn't the case, but let's assume a fancy business plan). The power is sold for just under 6 cents per KW. Then the revenue is 661,11 USD per drowned hectare per year. If you take the costs into account the profit per hectare seems incredibly low.

Where does this reasoning go wrong? I mean, after all they built the dam. I guess it was never a consideration?

400 megawatts is nothing if the social and ecological risks turn out to be correct. It's a tiny dam production-wise. A small dam with big risks...

December 18, 2018
Dam in Sesan begins operations

The Lower Sesan II Dam, an $800 million project, was officially launched yesterday after more than four years of construction.
The dam is Cambodia’s biggest power-generation infrastructure, and will account for 20 percent of the country’s output.

A joint venture of China’s Hydrolancang International Energy (51 percent ownership), local firm Royal Group (39 percent), and Vietnam’s EVNI (10 percent), the Lower Sesan II Dam is the seventh hydropower project in the country.

The project is located in Steung Treng province’s Sesan district, where the government granted the companies a 45-year concession.

A representative of Hydrolancang International Energy, one of the top 500 power-generating companies in the world, said during the launch that the project showcases the development of the power sector in Cambodia and is in line with China’s Belt & Road Initiative (BRI).
“Sesan II hydro dam is the biggest power-generation project in Cambodia, representing 20 percent of the country’s output. The power generated from the dam will alleviate the current shortage of power, help reduce the high cost of electricity and contribute to the social development of the country.

“The inauguration of the Lower Sesan II hydro dam today represents a big effort by the government to generate more power to meet rising demand,” he said.

Presiding over the ceremony, Prime Minister HE said it was the first project of its kind that boasted a local firm as an investor.

“It is the first time that we have investment in a huge project like this from local people. Oknha Kith Meng, president of Royal Group, is the first Cambodian investor involved in a hydropower project,” he said.

“The Lower Sesan II dam will impact the development of the whole country. It will supply households, as well as firms in the agricultural, industrial and service sector,” he added.

According to Minister Sem, in the last 20 year power generation has increased gradually in the Kingdom, from 150 megawatts in 1998 to 2,648 MW in 2018, an 18-fold increase.

12,305 Cambodian villages – nearly 87 percent of all villages in the country – are now electrified.

During the ceremony, Prime Minister HE announced the cost of electricity for households and the industrial sector will be lowered by more than 100 riel per kilowatt hour starting January.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50560364/d ... perations/

From Chinese news:
View of Lower Sesan II hydroelectric power station in Cambodia
Source: Xinhua| 2019-09-25 14:49:46

CAMBODIA-SESAN-CHINA-HYDROELECTRIC POWER STATION

Aerial photo taken on Sept. 20, 2019 shows a view of the Lower Sesan II hydroelectric power station at Sesan District of Stung Treng Province, Cambodia. The Lower Sesan II hydroelectric power station, born of cooperation between Cambodia and China under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, was inaugurated in December 2018. With a length of 6,500 meters, the 400-megawatt dam is the largest and the seventh one built by China in Cambodia. (Photo by Chen Gang/Xinhua)
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-0 ... 421352.htm