Royal Group’s 700 mW coal-fired power station gets Senate nod

                         A power plant coal yard.  Supplied

The approval was announced in a session held under the chairmanship of Sim Ka, acting president of the Senate and with the participation of 49 senators.

The 700 mW plant, is to be  located at Botom Sakor district in Koh Kong province.

The $1.5 billion investment in the Independent Power Producer (IPP) plant is a  venture by Cambodian tycoon Okhna Kith Meng’s Royal Group.

“The project calls for the construction of a jetty to enable the shipment and unloading of imported coal to fire the power plant.

“It will take about four years to complete and 80 percent – 4,765.44 million – kilowatt hours a year of the power generated by the power plant will be sold to the Electricte Du Cambodge [EDC], the state owned utility company.”

Another power project which got the Senate’s nod is a 265 mW plant owned by Han Seng Coal Mines Co Ltd is located at Trapang Prasat district in Oddor Meanchey province.

The third power project approved is a power line transmission development connecting a coal-fired power plant in Oddor Meanchey province to Siem Reap province.

Both coal-fired power plants are  scheduled  for partial power generation in late 2022 before full completion to for full capacity in 2024. They will be linked to the same power grid as an existing 640 mW coal-fired plant.

Victor Jona, director-general of Energy at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, told Khmer Times this week that construction of the three power projects will start immediately when they receive the “nod of approval”.

“The new power project investments will contribute and help the government to reduce the price of power to people and investment projects, particularly when the demand for power consumption is high. The more power generated from more power sources the better,” Jona said.

Cheam Yeap, chairman of the National Assembly Commission on Economy, Finance, Banking and Audit, has previously said that these power projects contribute to the development of the country’s economic growth, while the impact to the environment is said to be at a controllable level.

“These power projects will widely contribute in implementing the government’s policy on reducing power tariffs for its developing economy and eliminating the poverty of Cambodian people,” Cheam said.

Cambodia already has three coal-fired power plants that generate 740 mW of power to the main grid. These power plants are located at Stung Hav district in Preah Sihanouk province.

Power supply rose by 28 percent in 2019 to 3,382 mW, according to an annual report from the Ministry of Mines and Energy. Source from Khmertimes.