The Cambodian government on Friday approved two power plant projects worth more than $1.3 billion in total in what authorities said was an effort to reduce the Kingdom’s dependence on imports.
The Council of Ministers approved construction of two power projects, the first, a $1.29 billion, 700-megawatt coal-fired plant in Preah Sihanouk province, and the second, a $58 million, 60-megawatt solar-panel plant in Kampong Speu province.
The two projects are under a build-operate-own concession (BOO) of 35 and 20 years respectively, said the Council of Ministers. However, their statement did not provide details of the projects, including the developers.
Yun Min, the provincial governor of Preah Sihanouk, declined to provide details, saying only that the project is new and located in Stung Hav district.
There are currently two other coal-fired plants in Stung Hav, including Cambodia’s first, opened in 2014 by Malaysian-owned Leader Universal Holdings at a cost of $195 million.
The Phnom Penh Post previously reported that Royal Group, Cambodia’s biggest conglomerate, owned by tycoon Kith Meng, is also seeking to develop a coal-fired power plant in the province.
Kampong Speu Provincial Governor Vy Samnang confirmed on Sunday that the solar-power plant will be built on 200 hectares adjacent to Nation Road 51 in Oudong district.
While declining to name those involved in the project, he said it would be the first solar-power project in the province and that its investor is foreign.
