The Panel of Environmental and Social Experts (POE) weighs the social and environmental costs of the Nam Theun 2 Hydropower Project against the potential benefits of the project. In its yearly to biyearly reports, the Panel makes recommendations to minimize the project’s negative externalities and maximize the positive effects. Along with other groups, including NGOs, the Panel provides oversight to the dam project and provided the initial social and environmental reasoning for the dam's creation. Despite its goals,it has received allegations from scholars and NGOs.