Cambodian children eat rice by candle-light during an electricity outage in Phnom PenhPHNOM PENH (AFP) — Hydropower is held up as the beacon of hope for millions of electricity-starved Cambodians, with ten planned hydro-dams set to power up their homes for the first time.
But flicking the switch comes at a price as critics say the controversial deals made with mostly Chinese companies to build the dams will create further hardship for Cambodia's poor and ruin the environment.
For window-maker Dorn Seanghor, however, the prospect of working without being plunged into darkness is appealing. In the midst of Cambodia's building boom his business should be thriving, but he is constantly frustrated.
"There's usually a blackout for six to eight hours almost every day -- one time in the morning and again in the evening," he said at his shop in the capital, Phnom Penh.
"It disturbs my business. I use a generator when the power is cut, but the price of gasoline is very high now."
Still, Dorn Seanghor is one of the luckier ones. Four-fifths of Cambodians do not have access to any electricity.
Ten dams are set to begin churning between 2010 and 2019, and once they are all operational the government says they will generate 2,045 megawatts of power, serving all Cambodia's provinces.
Government officials say six of the dams will be funded by Chinese companies, but the US-based International Rivers Network warned in a January report that these Chinese investments could threaten some of Cambodia's most precious eco-systems.
"Poorly conceived hydropower development could irreparably damage (natural) resources," the report warned.
Groups have been particularly concerned about the looming affects of Kamchay Dam, under construction by Sinohydro Corporation in Bokor National Park and expected to flood 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) of protected forest.
And now environmental groups say two more projects agreed in mid-June at a cost of more than one billion dollars -- Stung Tatay by China National Heavy Machinery Corporation and Russey Chrum Krom by Michelle Corporation -- have not been properly scrutinised.
Both will be located in the country's southwestern Cardamom Protected Forest, and about 1,600 hectares (3,953 acres) of woodland would have to be flooded or cleared to make way for the dams, the government has said.
This could destroy key animal habitats and upset the delicate eco-system.
"Cardamom is the last hot spot of conservation in Indochina," said Sam Chanthy, an environmental officer with advocacy group Forum on Cambodia.
Qian Hai, third secretary of the Chinese embassy in Phnom Penh, denied his country's companies would damage the environment.
"We just help Cambodia. All these projects are approved by the parliament and the government," he said.
Ith Praing, Cambodia's energy secretary, insisted the government conducted careful environmental studies for all the dams.
"Outsiders always raise environmental issues, but we need electricity. We must develop our country. We must use our resources rather than buying oil," he said.
Cambodia has begun to climb back from decades of civil unrest to emerge as one of the region's fastest-growing economies.
Economic growth has averaged 11 percent over the past three years, although 30 percent of the 14 million people still earn less than a dollar per day.
The government fears rocketing energy prices will scare away foreign direct investment.
"Every sector needs electric power. When we have electricity at a reasonable price, development will come along," said Ith Praing, adding the government forecasts that by 2030, 70 percent of Cambodian families will have electricity.
Opposition member of parliament Son Chhay, however, said the debate is not simply a case of economic development versus the environment.
Poor people could be forced from their land to make way for the mega-projects, crops could be destroyed, while the environment the rural poor depend upon may be wiped out, he told AFP.
"The government just closes its eyes and lets Chinese companies do things that will cause a lot of problems in the future," Son Chhay said.
"It will not resolve poverty in Cambodia. Cambodia will lose a lot without taking into consideration the environmental consequences."
But flicking the switch comes at a price as critics say the controversial deals made with mostly Chinese companies to build the dams will create further hardship for Cambodia's poor and ruin the environment.
For window-maker Dorn Seanghor, however, the prospect of working without being plunged into darkness is appealing. In the midst of Cambodia's building boom his business should be thriving, but he is constantly frustrated.
"There's usually a blackout for six to eight hours almost every day -- one time in the morning and again in the evening," he said at his shop in the capital, Phnom Penh.
"It disturbs my business. I use a generator when the power is cut, but the price of gasoline is very high now."
Still, Dorn Seanghor is one of the luckier ones. Four-fifths of Cambodians do not have access to any electricity.
Ten dams are set to begin churning between 2010 and 2019, and once they are all operational the government says they will generate 2,045 megawatts of power, serving all Cambodia's provinces.
Government officials say six of the dams will be funded by Chinese companies, but the US-based International Rivers Network warned in a January report that these Chinese investments could threaten some of Cambodia's most precious eco-systems.
"Poorly conceived hydropower development could irreparably damage (natural) resources," the report warned.
Groups have been particularly concerned about the looming affects of Kamchay Dam, under construction by Sinohydro Corporation in Bokor National Park and expected to flood 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) of protected forest.
And now environmental groups say two more projects agreed in mid-June at a cost of more than one billion dollars -- Stung Tatay by China National Heavy Machinery Corporation and Russey Chrum Krom by Michelle Corporation -- have not been properly scrutinised.
Both will be located in the country's southwestern Cardamom Protected Forest, and about 1,600 hectares (3,953 acres) of woodland would have to be flooded or cleared to make way for the dams, the government has said.
This could destroy key animal habitats and upset the delicate eco-system.
"Cardamom is the last hot spot of conservation in Indochina," said Sam Chanthy, an environmental officer with advocacy group Forum on Cambodia.
Qian Hai, third secretary of the Chinese embassy in Phnom Penh, denied his country's companies would damage the environment.
"We just help Cambodia. All these projects are approved by the parliament and the government," he said.
Ith Praing, Cambodia's energy secretary, insisted the government conducted careful environmental studies for all the dams.
"Outsiders always raise environmental issues, but we need electricity. We must develop our country. We must use our resources rather than buying oil," he said.
Cambodia has begun to climb back from decades of civil unrest to emerge as one of the region's fastest-growing economies.
Economic growth has averaged 11 percent over the past three years, although 30 percent of the 14 million people still earn less than a dollar per day.
The government fears rocketing energy prices will scare away foreign direct investment.
"Every sector needs electric power. When we have electricity at a reasonable price, development will come along," said Ith Praing, adding the government forecasts that by 2030, 70 percent of Cambodian families will have electricity.
Opposition member of parliament Son Chhay, however, said the debate is not simply a case of economic development versus the environment.
Poor people could be forced from their land to make way for the mega-projects, crops could be destroyed, while the environment the rural poor depend upon may be wiped out, he told AFP.
"The government just closes its eyes and lets Chinese companies do things that will cause a lot of problems in the future," Son Chhay said.
"It will not resolve poverty in Cambodia. Cambodia will lose a lot without taking into consideration the environmental consequences."
9 comments:
These concern are justified. And - on top - you could read, that these projects will be constructed as BOT with a 37 year term. That is much too long. So Cambodia has to pay for a long, long time the generated power, it will have destruction in the environment, it will face social hardships and it will get back in 2045 or so complete depreciated dams. Not the best deals.
I think it will make sense to build 3 or 4 larger projekts to generate power for larger cities - but specially for the service of the rural areas there are much cheaper and more effective concepts with decentralized renewable energy strategies availabe.
I don't know why we have contract with Chinese. Chinese records build something not care much about cause something else bad and quality very poor. Have anyone lately seen the earthquake in China? still using men and rope to move giant rocks that blocked the roadway.
Perfect! that is what it supposed to do. Give hope to Khmer and fear to Ah Khmer-Yuon criminals.
i hear what they are saying, however, i haven't seen or seen one solution to the electricity crisis in cambodia. so, the question should be if all of these legitimate concerns are reasonable, which they are, how else can cambodia do to come up with an energy solution for the obvious growing population, growing economy, growing demand, not not mention the gradually rising standard of living of cambodian people? how else can anyone or gov't do to solve or make solution for this inevitable part of life? don't tell me that cambodia should slow down and limit it development, or cambodia should stop moving forward, or cambodia should not do this or that, because that is not the reality and it is most detrimental in the growth and demand of the khmer people, not to mention violation of the rights of cambodian people to have a livelihood and to continue nation development like any other on the planet. so, what is the right solution? anyone?
There is no solution when you don't have enough money.
Roum RITH Il n'est pas nécessaire de construire le central hydrolique , hélas à cause de la servilité de nos gouvernement et particulièrement de NS surtout on dépend de la chine Pourquoi ne pas construire les capteurs solaires pourquoi on critique les laostien mais la bas l'énergie solaire marche tres tres fort remarque on peut dire la nieme province des Vietnamens mais qu'importe l'énergie au Cambodge c'est l'énergie solaire et ils savent tous mais ils préferent etre esclave des chinois et voile la régien et que l'autre ne parle que ses problèmes personnels NS c'est un kankep qui croasse tout temps vous savez combien pèse la cervelle de grenouille NS se ressemble fort à un langouste tous les organes sont compressés dans la tete et ncore que le langiouste est utile à l'humanité mais NS non Merci
Cambodia is not the only country with energy problems - it's a global issue. The one thing that cambodia does have lots of, is sunshine. More should be done to develop solar power ion cambodia. The cost of developing solar power has been going down for the last 10 years, there are projects going on in India to set up solar power in homes in the countryside. These projects are run by local women who go to major towns to learn, go back home and educate other women to do the same. The government provides micro finance schemes to get them started. This type of activity would be perfect in cambodia, providing education, jobs, empowerment of women, and electricity to the countryside.
3:11pm, your suggestion is good for small scale private, rural area usage, however, is it feasible for large scale industrial usage? i think not. and cambodia can't buy electricity from neighboring countries forever either, you know! so, what other permanent solution are there? a large scale dam(s), a clean energy source of some sort, a private nuclear power plants, etc... can everyone in the world help to brainstorm more suitable ideas for cambodia, please. i mean, cambodia can designate a potential area for a mega dam project if inevitable. how did they do it in france, the UK, australia, the USA, the EU, Japan, Korea, etc... and why could those countries come to technically assistance cambodia with our energy demand? only complaining about the chinese which tries to help cambodia to meet energy demand is not good enough, especially if no one else wanted to help. to say cambodia does not have enough money or funds for these kind of project is a weak and illegitimate argument and won't solve anything problem for cambodia. this is why the world created ADB, the world bank, USaid, Jica, etc... thank you.
Roum Rith répond à 6:36 Mais de quoi vous parlez savez vous réellement ceux que font les chinois retour en arriere avec l'histoire de phom attareus revenez au fait récent les chinois sont allés à ratanakiri ils ont creusé pour reécupérer des pierres précieux les ouvriers khmers ont creusé des trious et apres ils ont viré pour remplacer par les ouvriers chinois importés directement de la chine , 2ndo l'histoire de génocide c'était les chinois qui ont suggéré à tous ces ppleu pleu khmers de massacrer leurs propre sang , les chinois ont étimés les vrais khmers des sous peuple des fainéant Voila les faits et je suis navré de vous contredire etj'ai connu des chinois qui ont vécu au cambodge ce ne sont pas des richards et qui ont quitté le cambodge ils ont tous d'accord ce sont des chinois de Pékin qui ont manoeuvreé Je vous remercie de lire ce message Roum rith Ps il n'y a que chou en lai qui a un peu de la compassion pour les khmer et lishoashi
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