Phnom Penh (FN), July 20 – A Chinese-built hydropower station in Koh Kong province has not only brought low-cost electricity to a growing number of remote homes, but also created promising job opportunities for local residents.

The lower Stung Russei Chrum hydropower station, constructed by power giant China Huadian Corp, is one of the largest and most advanced hydropower stations in Cambodia.

The facility began operations in 2015 and has an installed capacity of 338,000 kilowatts, generating 30% of the country's total electricity output during peak periods.

In 2017, 7.4 billion kilowatt hours of electricity was produced in Cambodia, which is a 12-fold increase compared to 2002, and much of the country is now connected to the national electricity grid.

"I hope that the country will develop at a faster pace and every household in Cambodia will benefit and their standard of living will be improved," said Keat Makara, a Cambodian employee at the China Huadian Lower Stung Russei Chrum Hydro Electric Project.

"We used to experience power outages from time to time when relying on Thailand-imported electricity. But when Huadian has come to invest, we now have more stable and cheaper power supplies and even the remote areas are grid-connected,” said a local villager.

Le Jianhua, the general manager of China Huadian Lower Stung Russei Chrum Hydro Electric Project Cambodia Company Limited, is proud to see the positive changes they have brought.

"Huadian came to Cambodia under the guidance of the Belt and Road Initiative. After all those years, we have been helping Cambodia to become independent instead of relying on imported power. Local electricity prices have declined evidently, from $0.40 per kilowatt hour to less than $0.20. The quality of the electricity has also improved significantly. We hope that through the joint efforts of our Chinese and Cambodian employees, we can help Cambodians live a better life,” the general manager said.

Cambodian government has placed electricity high on its broader development agenda and is aiming for all villages to have access to electrical power by 2020 along with the development of human resources, water, and roads.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen announced recently that Cambodia will set up a program to reduce electricity costs for all types of users nationwide for 2019 and 2020.

“I hope that decent electricity supply will not only improve our people’s livings, but also further enhances the country's ability to attract investment and promote economic activities in the country, which will contribute significantly to economic growth, increasing employment and incomes for citizens," stated the premier.
=FRESH NEWS