Cambodia: Power to the provinces

Cambodia: Power to the provinces

People in Svay Rieng, Prey Veng and Kandal provinces are to benefit from
stable electricity supplies after a $75 million project to expand the
national grid went online yesterday.

Under the project, 115 kilovolt transmission lines will link Phnom Penh to
Bavet in Svay Rieng province via a sub-station in Prey Veng orovince's Preah
Sdach district.

The power will travel along a network of power lines, able to transmit 150
megawatts at first. The lines will later be upgraded to transmit up to
300MW.

Speaking at the inauguration of the project, Electricite Du Cambodge (EDC)
director-general Keo Rattanak said the initiative will mean improved
electricity for residents in Prey Veng, Svay Rieng and some districts of
Kandal province, where power was previously imported from Vietnam.

He said the project was made possible with a loan from China.

"The high voltage transmission network will help increase the quality,
stability, effectiveness and sustainability of electricity supplies to
Cambodian people in the three provinces," Mr. Rattanak said.

Chinese Ambassador Xiong Bo said the energy industry in Cambodia started
from nothing but is now capable of supplying the country, with 80 percent of
power produced domestically.

"Energy is like blood to support the economy and transmission lines are like
blood vessels," Mr. Xiong said.

"The high voltage transmission network will help increase the quality of
electricity to residents and investors in the Special Economic Zone at Svay
Rieng.

"I believe this project will contribute to developing business and
investment and boosting the living standards of people."

Mr. Xiong said China and Cambodia are good friends and partners, so his
government will try and grant as many loans as necessary to help Cambodia
develop.

Energy Minister Suy Sem said affordable electricity supplies are the key to
pushing economic growth, development and modernization.

He said the ministry and EDC are working on plans to develop electricity
infrastructure and expand electrification to rural areas.

"The government has drawn from all sources to push electricity development,"
Mr. Sem said. "Today we have unveiled the new lines to Svay Rieng, Prey Veng
and some districts in Kandal provinces, where we used to import energy from
Vietnam."

By the end of last year, the government had expanded electricity to 10,589
villages nationwide, or about 75 percent. A total of 1.9 million households
were also connected, or 58 percent, according to the Energy Ministry.

Cambodia generates 200MW of its energy though oil-powered electricity
plants, 500MW through coal-fired plants and 928MW through hydropower plants.

The hydroelectric Lower Se San II dam will open next year, with a capacity
of about 400MW, while another 135MW coal-fired power plant will open early
in 2019.

Mr. Sem said Cambodia is studying further projects to build a 500MW
coal-fired power plant and more hydropower plants to meet increasing demand
for electricity after 2020.

He added that Cambodia has 25 power sub-stations covering 14 cities and
provinces. Another nine provinces will be connected after 2018, while
Ratanakkiri and Mondulkiri provinces will be linked up by early 2020.

"We are now pushing to supply quality and reasonably priced electricity
across the country," Mr. Sem said.

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Link to Original Article:
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/37612/power-to-the-provinces/

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com