Opinion: Cambodia can secure reliable electricity without new coal
China’s new stance against supporting coal abroad can move Cambodia towards a clean energy future, writes Bridget McIntosh of EnergyLab Cambodia
Bridget McIntosh
October 27, 2021

Over half of Cambodia’s electricity is generated in coal power plants, almost all built with Chinese involvement. Coal’s share in the energy mix was set to increase to three-quarters by 2030. Then came President Xi Jinping’s September announcement that China “will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad” and will step up support for green energy. The new stance may help Cambodia transition toward a more reliable and affordable electricity system, at a time when the country needs a green economic boost given Covid-19. It can also help Cambodia retain its largest industry, garments and footwear. Major international brands operating in the country have made requests for a cleaner energy grid.

Cambodia’s power system has proven highly adaptable over the past 20 years. At the turn of the century, only 17% of the population had access to the grid, and the system was three-quarters powered by fuel oil. By 2014, this had switched to nearly two-thirds hydropower, all of it built with Chinese involvement. Seven years later, Cambodia has a remarkably improved electrification rate of 93% and is in the middle of another transition, with over half of its power now coming from fossil fuels. Plans approved after power shortages in 2019 catalysed a return to fossil fuels, which were expected to supply 75% of power by 2030.

That was the plan at least. Now Cambodia may need to adapt again: depending on how Xi’s announcement plays out in practice, planned projects may be at risk. Our analysis shows Cambodia’s coal power capacity is projected to reach 4,675 megawatts (MW) within the next 10 years. Of that, only 675 MW is operational, and over 900 MW is under construction. The remaining 3,100 MW, two-thirds of the planned capacity, may be at risk, including the 2,400 MW which is supposed to be imported from projects planned in neighbouring Laos.

Full article: https://chinadialogue.net/en/energy/opi ... ew-coal-2/

ADB Supporting Cambodia’s Energy Transition Programme
AKP Phnom Penh, December 15, 2022 --

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a sector development programme that combines a U$50 million policy-based loan package with U$23 million in project investments to support the energy transition of Cambodia.

According to the bank’s news release issued this morning, the Energy Transition Sector Development Program includes ADB’s first comprehensive policy reform package for the energy sector in Cambodia, which will be funded by a US$40 million loan from ADB’s concessional resources and a US$10 million loan from the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund under its ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility (ACGF).

For the US$23 million in infrastructure investments, the Climate Investment Fund’s Scaling Up Renewable Energy Programme for Cambodia will provide a US$6 million loan and US$5 million grant in concessional climate finance, while the Green Climate Fund will extend a US$12 million loan through the ACGF Green Recovery Programme, all of which will be administered by ADB.

The programme supports the Government of Cambodia’s energy transition agenda to mainstream renewable energy and energy efficiency while shifting away from fossil fuels. It adopts data-driven regulation and planning for the power system to enhance flexibility and resilience, and anchors new infrastructure investments on strategic planning while demonstrating new technologies and business models.

“The programme combines policy reforms and project investments that will mutually support each other to maximise gains,” said ADB Unit Head for Sovereign Energy Operations (Greater Mekong Subregion) Pradeep Tharakan. “This is expected to pave the way for public and private sector investments in critical new technologies, such as energy efficiency and storage. It will also help set clean energy targets for the country, and integrate improved power development and energy use planning across sectors, including climate proofing critical infrastructure.”

The project investments under the programme will promote new technologies, including development of the country’s first grid-connected battery energy storage system, which will enable additional renewable sources to enter the grid and improve electricity grid stability for consumers. Investments also include comprehensive city-level efficient street-lighting systems in Kampot and Kep provinces, which will demonstrate cost savings and benefits for tourism and public safety. Through the policy reforms, renewable electricity generation by 2027 is expected to increase by at least 25 percent from a baseline of 4,672 gigawatt hours in 2021.
- AKP

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CDC Approves another Coal-fired Power Plant Project in Preah Sihanouk Province
AKP Phnom Penh, March 27, 2021 --

Chinese-invested largest power generation project in Cambodia launches operation
Source: Xinhua| 2022-12-16 23:21:45|

This aerial photo taken on Dec. 16, 2022 shows the Huadian Preah Sihanouk 2×350 MW Coal-fired Power Plant in Preah Sihanouk province, Cambodia. The Huadian Preah Sihanouk coal-fired power plant in Cambodia on Friday passed a commissioning test successfully and was officially put into operation, becoming the largest power generation project in the country.(Photo by Li Xinlin/Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Huadian Preah Sihanouk coal-fired power plant in Cambodia on Friday passed a commissioning test successfully and was officially put into operation, becoming the largest power generation project in the country.

The Huadian Preah Sihanouk 2×350 MW Coal-fired Power Plant in Cambodia (HSPGC Power Plant) under China's Huadian Overseas Investment Co., Ltd. said in a statement that the plant has adopted Chinese standards, technology and equipment with an installed capacity of 2×350 megawatt (MW).

"It is the coal-fired power plant with the largest installed capacity, the most advanced indicators, and the highest environmental protection level in Cambodia," it said.

"The full operation of HSPGC is of great significance for improving Cambodia's power supply structure and perfecting Cambodia's power infrastructure," it said.

The construction of the plant, located in southwest Cambodia's Preah Sihanouk province, took 27 months from August 2020 to November 2022.

Energy demand in Cambodia had surged to 4,014 MWs in 2021, an increase of 1 percent from 3,972 MWs in the year before, according to the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC).
https://english.news.cn/asiapacific/202 ... cd1/c.html

More on the Huadian Preah Sihanouk coal-fired power plant in Cambodia:

China-backed 700MW coal power station online: HSPGC
20 December 2022 | 21:34 ICT
[excerpts]
Huadian Sihanoukville Power Generation Co Ltd (HSPGC), under China’s Huadian Overseas Investment Co Ltd, on December 16 officially put online the “number-two unit” of its 700MW coal-fired HSPGC Power Plant in Preah Sihanouk province, after a successful commissioning test, making it the largest power station in Cambodia.

The operator said in a statement that the total installed capacity in Cambodia of state-owned power group China Huadian Corp Ltd – Huadian Overseas Investment’s wholly-owning parent company – has reached 1.038GW, also making the group the largest power generator in the Kingdom.

Preah Sihanouk Provincial Administration spokesman Kheang Phearom affirmed that the electricity generated by the coal-fired power station – roughly 14km north-northeast of Sihanoukville – would supply other localities outside of the southwestern coastal province as well.

At the time, it was widely reported that locally-owned Cambodia International Investment and Development Group (CIIDG) and China Huadian Hong Kong Co Ltd (CHDHK) were partnering up to build the power plant, located at GPS coordinates 10.733N, 103.583E.

In a March 2021 notice, the Council for the Development of Cambodia, the government’s highest decision-making body for large-scale investments, disclosed that the project had registered investment capital of $1.283 billion.

CHDHK is also part of the China Huadian Group, which is also behind the Russey Chrum hydroelectric dam in Koh Kong province.
https://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/ ... line-hspgc

CEOCambodiaNews wrote: ↑Sat Apr 06, 2019 8:02 am Cambodia Announces Hydropower, Solar Projects Amid Widespread Electricity Shortages
2019-04-05
Cambodia’s government on Friday approved a hydropower dam and solar energy plant projects in a bid to ease the strain on the country’s electricity grid, which has been unable to meet supply demand, leading to nationwide outages over the past several weeks.

In a statement, the Council of Ministers said SPHP (Cambodia) Co. Ltd. had been approved to invest in an 80-megawatt hydropower dam in Pursat province, while Cambodian firm SchneiTec Co. Ltd. was given permission to build three 60-megawatt solar energy plans in Pursat, Kampong Chhnang and Kampong Speu provinces.

The U.S. $231 million hydropower dam will be built as part of a 39-year concession, while the solar energy plants will each cost U.S. $58 million and be built as part of 20-year concessions, the statement said.
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambod ... 62511.html

UPDATE: 80 Megawatt Pursat Dam to be Completed in 2026

Cambodia News (Pursat): His Excellency Suy Sem, Minister of Mines and Energy, said that the people of Pursat will be able to use electricity provided by the new Stung Pursat 1 Dam in 2026, as the 80-megawatt project will be completed then, and should be officially launched early that year.
His Excellency said that the 80-megawatt Stung Pursat 1 dam is being built by a Korean company at a cost of more than USD231 million.


He added that so far Cambodia has more than 4,000 megawatts of electricity from various sources such as coal, oil, solar, as well as electricity imported from neighboring countries. Cambodia currently can generate more than 2,000 megawatts of electricity, more than half of which is still unused.
So far, 98.26% of the country's villages have access to the national grid, leaving less than 2% of the villages isolated, where the Ministry will consider making solar-power available.

MME, ADB Present New Power Development Masterplan and National Energy Efficiency Policy
AKP Phnom Penh, March 16, 2023 --

The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) hosted an Energy Forum to present Cambodia's recently approved Power Development Masterplan (PDP) and National Energy Efficiency Policy (NEEP).

The PDP is Cambodia’s first long-term plan for its power sector, comprising a broad range of scenarios for a 20-year planning period covering electricity demand growth, the expansion of power generation sources, and the development of the transmission and distribution network, said ADB in a press release AKP received this morning.

The NEEP is Cambodia’s first dedicated policy on energy efficiency and establishes the enabling framework for future developments in this area, pointed out the source, adding that the NEEP sets an ambitious national target for the reduction of energy consumption of at least 19 percent by 2030 in relation to a scenario without energy efficiency. The NEEP also identifies measures and instruments that the Government will prioritise and develop to support a wider adoption of energy efficiency.

According to the press release, ADB provided technical assistance in developing the PDP and the NEEP. The Forum served as a platform for discussions among different partners on opportunities to support Cambodia implementing the provisions laid out in the NEEP.
https://www.akp.gov.kh/post/detail/274133

Government Approves Five Renewable Energy Projects
AKP Phnom Penh, April 07, 2023 --

The Royal Government of Cambodia has approved five renewable energy projects with a total capacity of 520 MW to increase the power supply to the national grid and contribute to reducing the emissions of carbon dioxide and protecting the environment.

The approval was made in a plenary cabinet meeting held here at the Peace Palace this morning under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HE.

Of the projects, there is a hydropower dam project with a capacity of 170 MW, a combination between the Stung Russey Chrum Kandal Hydropower Project (70 MW) in Mondul Seima district and the Stung Veal Thmar Kambot Hydropower Project (100 MW) is Thmar Baing district, Koh Kong province.

The other four are solar power station development projects including the 150 MW project in Pursat province, the 60 MW project in Kampong Chhnang province, the 60 MW project in Svay Rieng province, and the 80 MW project in Prey Veng province.

Besides increasing the power supply to address energy shortages, the Royal Government will receive a total tax revenue of approximately US$322.8 during the operation of the five projects, excluding other tax revenues such as payroll tax, withholding tax, as well as other taxes from EDC and other power distributors.
- AKP