Two More Hydropower Dams Set For Construction
Phnom Penh: Cambodia is in the process of building two more 230-megawatt dams to provide a stable and efficient supply of energy for both citzens and reasonable prices with the aim to attract more potential investors to Cambodia.
Victor Zona, secretary of state and spokesman for the Ministry of Mines and Energy, said two more hydropower projects under construction include the 80-megawatt Stung Pursat hydropower project and the Stung Tatai Leu hydropower project in Koh Kong province with a capacity of 150 MW.
He added that the Stung Pursat dam project could enter the national grid in 2026 and the Stung Tatai Leu dam project could be completed in 2025 due to disruption caused by COVID-19.
He added that the dam projects are investments by the private sector, and electricity will resold to the Electricity du Cambodia (EdC).
Mr. Pech Sion, Director of the Department of Mines and Energy of Koh Kong Province, said that the construction of the Stung Tatai Upper Dam will be officially started in the fourth quarter of 2021, with the completion time in 2026.
He said that the company is currently working on access to the site for the construction process.
On December 8, 2020, the Ministry of Mines and Electricity of Cambodia and the Electricity Authority of Cambodia signed an agreement with China National Heavy Machinery Corporation on the construction of the Stung Tatai Leu hydropower project after the Royal Government has already approved the project.
The $ 389 million Stung Tatai Leu hydropower project plans the use of water sources from rivers- Stung Kep and Stung Tatai, by building two dams across both rivers to form a reservoir, connected to each other by underground drainage pipes.
The project provides a 39-year concession, four years for construction and 35 years for commercial use. Annual production for EDC is forecast at an average of 527 million kilowatt hours and sold for 7.92 US cents per kilowatt hour.
It should be noted that the dams that are operating in Cambodia, including the Kirirom 1 dam with a capacity of 12 megawatts, located in Kampong Speu province, the 193-megawatt Kamchay Dam in Kampot province which was commissioned in 2011. The 18-megawatt Kirirom 3 dam was launched in 2013, the Stung A dam has 120 megawatts of power in Pursat province, which started operating in 2013, Stung Russey Chrum Dam provides around 338 MW in Koh Kong Province, which started operating in 2014, Stung Tatai Mean Dam, 246 MW in Koh Kong Province, launched in 2014 and Lower Sesan 2 Dam of 400 MW, located in Stung Treng province, which officially started operating in 2018 (*these figures may not be totally correct). KPT
