The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia
A Chinese company began work Thursday on a hydroelectric dam in Cambodia, the second Chinese dam project launched this week in the country where only about a quarter of the population has electricity.
The two projects are among several hydroelectric dams planned to reduce power shortages in Cambodia although activists warn they could cause environmental harm.
State-owned China Huadian Corp., one of China's biggest power companies, will build the 338-megawatt dam on the lower Russei Chrum river in Koh Kong province, with an investment of about $500 million. The project is due for completion by 2014.
A project launch ceremony was held in the capital, Phnom Penh, about 130 miles (210 kilometers) east of Koh Kong province.
Industry Minister Suy Sem said the power generated from the dam will be distributed to neighboring provinces and the capital.
"Cambodia will benefit greatly from this dam. It will provide us with a huge power capacity and help us to reduce the use of oil for producing power," Suy Sem said.
Cambodia's economy has grown rapidly over the past decade but poverty remains widespread.
Electricity generation is underdeveloped, and most power plants use fossil fuels. Cambodia also buys electricity from neighboring Vietnam and Thailand. Many people rely on generators.
By 2009 some 26 percent of Cambodia's 14 million people had access to regular electricity, said Heng Kunleang, director of the electricity division at the Industry Ministry.
Its electricity prices are among the highest in the world, which is also a major source of complaint from investors in Cambodia.
In a bid to meet future electricity demands, the government has identified 21 potential hydroelectric dam sites across the country.
But environmentalists have voiced concerns about the impact those projects will have.
In a 2008 report, the U.S.-based International Rivers Network said "poorly conceived hydropower development could irreparably damage" Cambodia's environment and also extract a social cost.
On Monday, the China National Heavy Machinery Corp. started building a $540 million hydropower plant in the Koh Kong province that will generate up to 246 megawatts. It is also due for completion by 2014.
China is a leading foreign investor in Cambodia.
Some 349 Chinese companies have been invested in Cambodia mainly in agriculture projects, construction and dams, the Chinese Embassy said recently.
The two projects are among several hydroelectric dams planned to reduce power shortages in Cambodia although activists warn they could cause environmental harm.
State-owned China Huadian Corp., one of China's biggest power companies, will build the 338-megawatt dam on the lower Russei Chrum river in Koh Kong province, with an investment of about $500 million. The project is due for completion by 2014.
A project launch ceremony was held in the capital, Phnom Penh, about 130 miles (210 kilometers) east of Koh Kong province.
Industry Minister Suy Sem said the power generated from the dam will be distributed to neighboring provinces and the capital.
"Cambodia will benefit greatly from this dam. It will provide us with a huge power capacity and help us to reduce the use of oil for producing power," Suy Sem said.
Cambodia's economy has grown rapidly over the past decade but poverty remains widespread.
Electricity generation is underdeveloped, and most power plants use fossil fuels. Cambodia also buys electricity from neighboring Vietnam and Thailand. Many people rely on generators.
By 2009 some 26 percent of Cambodia's 14 million people had access to regular electricity, said Heng Kunleang, director of the electricity division at the Industry Ministry.
Its electricity prices are among the highest in the world, which is also a major source of complaint from investors in Cambodia.
In a bid to meet future electricity demands, the government has identified 21 potential hydroelectric dam sites across the country.
But environmentalists have voiced concerns about the impact those projects will have.
In a 2008 report, the U.S.-based International Rivers Network said "poorly conceived hydropower development could irreparably damage" Cambodia's environment and also extract a social cost.
On Monday, the China National Heavy Machinery Corp. started building a $540 million hydropower plant in the Koh Kong province that will generate up to 246 megawatts. It is also due for completion by 2014.
China is a leading foreign investor in Cambodia.
Some 349 Chinese companies have been invested in Cambodia mainly in agriculture projects, construction and dams, the Chinese Embassy said recently.
6 comments:
Please boycott Chinese's hydropower project, they are suck. We are deserved to have a nuclear factory as Vietnam.
Khmer in Sydney CBD
france is the world nuclear power that uses nuclear power plant to generate electricity. so, i think cambodia should ask for assistance to france to build nuclear power planet for electricity. i mean, if viet/youn can ask for assistance, cambodia should too.
I was born in the darkest age of Sihanouk Era. Everything was dark, from inside my house to the public recreations, schools, hospitals traffic indicator etc...
Today, under the Leaderships of Thevada Hun Sen and the compatriots of the CPP are making a new change, new reality! Prosper and continues to growth every where in the entire country which is no one... no one can be compared to this Leadership!
From Sihanoukist to Pol Potist were the evil forces regime.
Until 7 January 1979, under the Leaderships of Thevada Hun Sen cambodia and cambodian were liberated from these axis forces of evil!
Thanks 7 January!
Thanks Thavada Hun Sen!
Thanks to new hydroelectric dams !
Long live Thevada Hun Sen and CPP!
Down with the axis forces of evil Sihanouk/Pol Pot!
12:55 am
You got to be a fool.
Comparing Sihanouk to today! Your Hun puppet is for today disaster's make no sense fool. I want to meet you face to face and take off my glove, swing my glove on your face and tell you to wake the fuckup. You retard!
My dear 12:55 AM,
I just couldn't believe what I read. You call Hun Sen Thevada? You are kidding, aren't you? Do you actually think that he is the greatest Cambodian ever lived? For your information, he's the most corrupted youn slave blind Khmer PM. He gets a lot of money to flash around. Have you ever thought about the sources of that money as well as other CPP leadsers' money? Where do they get that money from? How much are their salaries? With those small salaries, how can they afford a luxury? How can they send their kids to study abroad? Do you really know how much the cost of their kids education abroad? To give you some ideas, many students in the US have to get student laons to put themselves through universities. To get a doctor degree, many students graduated with $200,000.00 to $300,000.00 debts. Do you get the pictures?
Now you can see that these CPP leaders are not thevadas. They are just plain thieves.
Sorry to rain on your party...
"Yeah...why not go to France?I heard that they are the world leading in Nuclear power generation".Why is Nuclear power generation necessary?Just imagine what it would be like with out electricity,The Earth's energy resource,including fossil fuel,are not infinite.Should we run out of natural gas completely,we would have to give up our current convenient lifstyle,Which is made possible through electricity,In order to ensure a stable and sustainable supply of energy,We need to attain a well-balanced energy source mix,And combine nuclear power,thermal power,hydraulic power,wind power and solar power to make the most of each type of energy source.Nuclear power is a stable source of energy which can produce a large a mount of electricity and requires less fuel.
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