Xayaburi Dam, Hydroelectric dam in Sainyabuli, Laos

Xayaburi Dam is a run-of-river hydroelectric dam on the lower Mekong, about 30 km east of Sainyabuli in northern Laos. It is 820 metres long and 32.6 metres high, with a rated hydraulic head of 18 metres. Its power plant houses seven 175 MW and one 60 MW Kaplan turbine-generators, giving 1,285 MW installed capacity. The dam has a navigation lock and two fish passes.

Laos signed a memorandum of understanding with Thailand's CH. Karnchang in May 2007, and the project went through the Mekong River Commission's prior-consultation process from September 2010. Construction began in March 2012, was halted in May 2012 after objections from Cambodia and Vietnam, and resumed after design changes with a ceremony on 7 November 2012. Commercial operation started in October 2019.

The dam was developed as part of Laos's commitment to become an energy exporter in Southeast Asia, reshaping how the nation generates income and influences regional power markets. Local communities in the Mekong valley saw significant changes to their surroundings and how water flows through their territory.

The site is best explored during dry weather, as the region experiences heavy rain in monsoon season. Visitors need to arrange their own transportation, as the location is remote and not easily reached by public transit.

The dam has two fish passes and a navigation lock, and its design was revised after Cambodia and Vietnam objected. The Mekong River Commission questioned whether silt would fill the reservoir; international sediment experts it engaged concluded that a sediment management plan and a redesign of the sediment-passing structure would limit trapping, and the developer said it adopted those recommendations.