Cambodia inaugurates Chinese-funded hydropower dam

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Saturday inaugurated the 18 MW Kirirom III Hydro Power Plant.

The power plant,  invested and constructed by the State Grid Corporation of China, would help reduce power shortage and reliance on diesel-fueled electricity.

Construction for thee plant was commenced in July 2009 and completed last year at the cost of US$47.1 million.

Hun Sen hailed Chinese investors for their strong commitment to invest in Cambodia in all fields, saying that their investment is hugely contributed to developing Cambodia's economy and society.

"In the context of globally soaring oil price, electricity generated by hydropower plants is a sustainable source of electric power supply," said the prime minister.

Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy Suy Sem said the project is a concessional contract of a 30-year build- operate-transfer ( BOT) with Cambodian government, and the electricity is sold to the state-owned Electricity of Cambodia at the price of 7.91 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour.

Currently, Cambodia has a total electric power of 790 megawatts, he said. Of the amount, it buys 196 megawatts from Vietnam, 95 megawatts from Thailand and 2 megawatts from Laos, and the remaining amount is generated by local hydroelectric dams and oil- fueled plants.

Speaking at the ceremony, Pan Xiaojun, Head of Inspection Group of the State Grid Corporation of China, said that the 18-megawatt plant can produce electricity of 78 million kilowatt hours a year.

Kirirom III dam is the 3rd China-invested hydroelectric dam that began operation in Cambodia. The first two operational dams are Kirirom I with the capacity of 12 megawatts in Kampong Speu province and the 193-megawatt Kamchay Hydro Power Plant in Kampot province.

Besides, he said, 3 other hydropower dams, invested by Chinese companies, are under construction in Cambodia. Those are Tatay River hydropower dam with the capacity of 246 megawatts, Atay River hydropower dam of 120 megawatts and Russei Chrum Krom with the capacity of 338 megawatts.

All the projects are expected to be completed by 2015.

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