 An additional 134 projects are planned for the lower Mekong, which will maximize the river's hydropower generating capacity.The single most significant impact—both now and in the future—on the use of water and its management in the Mekong Region is hydropower.Given current development trends in the region, power demands are expected to rise seven percent per year between 2010 and 2030, yielding a substantial and potentially lucrative energy market.