By Lor Chandaka
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
The National Assembly on Wednesday voted to guarantee a $280 million investment by a Chinese company to build a hydropower plant in Kampot province's Kamchay mountain range.
The motion was passed with 69 lawmakers voting in favor of guaranteeing Sino-Hydropower Corporation Limited's investment, which includes financial compensation to the firm if anything stands in the way of the 193-megawatt plants completion. Ten lawmakers abstained.
"We need a hydropower dam... the country is poor and in need of a sufficient supply of power," CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap told the Assembly.
"In neighboring countries they have enough electricity, that’s why the price is cheap," he said, adding that a government commitment to secure Sino-Hydropower's investment was necessary to encourage foreign companies to do business in Cambodia.
According to a document signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on March 14, 2006, Sino-Hydropower has been given a 44-year deal to build and operate the power plant before handing it over to the government.
Bokor National Park Director Chey Yuthearith said by telephone that construction of the hydropower dam would affect 2,000 hectares of the 140,000-hectare park.
"There were tense debates between conservationists and supporters of the dam. But finally, conservation in the area was put aside and the economists won out" he said.
Chey Yuthearith said that the environmental impact assessment was completed in a week, not long enough for the foreign experts to properly assess the area's ecology. The area is "a vast forest of all types of trees and bamboo," he added.
Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Yim Sovann, who abstained from voting, questioned why the Chinese company was given a 40-year deal instead of a 25- or 30-year operating agreement. "Such a long period benefits the Chinese more than the government," he told the assembly.
Keo Remy, also an SRP lawmaker, said he welcomed the production of electricity but asked why details of the Sino-Hydropower contract had not been revealed to lawmakers. He also abstained from voting.
"I did not vote blindly on this law. We want to know what details are in the agreement," he said.
The motion was passed with 69 lawmakers voting in favor of guaranteeing Sino-Hydropower Corporation Limited's investment, which includes financial compensation to the firm if anything stands in the way of the 193-megawatt plants completion. Ten lawmakers abstained.
"We need a hydropower dam... the country is poor and in need of a sufficient supply of power," CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap told the Assembly.
"In neighboring countries they have enough electricity, that’s why the price is cheap," he said, adding that a government commitment to secure Sino-Hydropower's investment was necessary to encourage foreign companies to do business in Cambodia.
According to a document signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen on March 14, 2006, Sino-Hydropower has been given a 44-year deal to build and operate the power plant before handing it over to the government.
Bokor National Park Director Chey Yuthearith said by telephone that construction of the hydropower dam would affect 2,000 hectares of the 140,000-hectare park.
"There were tense debates between conservationists and supporters of the dam. But finally, conservation in the area was put aside and the economists won out" he said.
Chey Yuthearith said that the environmental impact assessment was completed in a week, not long enough for the foreign experts to properly assess the area's ecology. The area is "a vast forest of all types of trees and bamboo," he added.
Sam Rainsy Party lawmaker Yim Sovann, who abstained from voting, questioned why the Chinese company was given a 40-year deal instead of a 25- or 30-year operating agreement. "Such a long period benefits the Chinese more than the government," he told the assembly.
Keo Remy, also an SRP lawmaker, said he welcomed the production of electricity but asked why details of the Sino-Hydropower contract had not been revealed to lawmakers. He also abstained from voting.
"I did not vote blindly on this law. We want to know what details are in the agreement," he said.
3 comments:
People whose depend on the fish migration for survival will be affected. When the Hydropower plant is build, the ecosystem will affected. Problems will follow.
At the Khmer Rouge time China ordered Pol Pot to build dams to prepare for the setlement of Chinese citizens after the dams will be finished.
Now China bring money to build hydro-electic dam for the same reason.
The Chinese invasion by buying propety is as dangerous as VN illegal immigrants.
Just another business investment to generate financial returns.
Don't expected free services.
In addition, in the workforce expertees, the Chinese would bring their sets of professional people to operate its activities.
I don't see hydropower plant establishment is going to benifits Cambodia. People still have to pay for usage.
Post a Comment