The government plans for 100 per cent of the Kingdom to have electricity by 2025. National Assembly
The National Assembly (NA) unanimously approved draft laws paving the way for the construction of two coal-fired power plants worth $1.665 billion to supply 100 per cent of electricity required in the Kingdom by 2025.
An NA member said at the session that the plants will be located in Koh Kong and Oddar Meanchey provinces.
On Thursday NA president Heng Samrin led an extraordinary session to discuss the three draft laws for electricity investment in Cambodia.
Two of the three draft laws are for the Royal Group to build a 700MW coal-fired power plant in Koh Kong, and Han Seng Coal Mine Co Ltd’s plans to build a 265MW coal-fired power plant in Oddar Meanchey.
The last draft law is Han Seng Coal Mine Co Ltd’s investment to build a 230kV power transmission line connecting the plant in Oddar Meanchey to the sub-station of Eastern Siem Reap.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy’s General Department of Energy director-general Victor Jona said at present 500,000 or seven per cent out of the 3.8 million houses across the Kingdom still had no electricity.
He said the establishment of the two plants aimed to supply electricity to the remaining houses so that they will have electricity by 2024.
“First, we do what it takes to supply electricity across the Kingdom. Second, because electricity is at the heart of development, it will help create more jobs for our people,” Jona said.
He said the plant in Koh Kong calls for a $1.4 billion investment, while the Cambodian-Chinese collaboration will build Oddar Meanchey plant at a cost of $265 million.
The ministry said 13,131 out of 14,168 villages currently had access to electricity, and that by this year, electricity connection will be 100 per cent complete.
