Han Seng Coal Mine Co Ltd’s (HSCMC’s) 265MW coal-fired power station in Oddar Meanchey province’s easternmost Trapaing Prasat district is more than 50 per cent complete, with construction expected to be completed next year, provincial governor Pen Kosal said on Tuesday.
He told a press conference on the province’s progress, goal setting and action plans that the project would supply electricity locally and to some areas in neighbouring Siem Reap province to the south.
He said: “Construction is now 50 to 60 per cent complete . . . The company is gradually installing the electrical power poles.”
Original plans showed that the plant would be powered by local coal. But new studies have revealed that coal in the area does not produce hot enough temperatures through combustion, said Kosal.
Government spokesman Phay Siphan said via Facebook that the plant requires $294.3 million in capital investment and will be operational by the end of next year or early in 2022.
Ministry of Mines and Energy spokesman Victor Jona previously told The Post that Cambodia’s electricity demand is growing at an average of 16-18 per cent annually, though it soared 25 per cent last year from 2018.
He said the Kingdom can currently cover about 70-80 per cent of total domestic electricity consumption.
The Kingdom produced 11.261GWh of electricity last year, up 21 per cent from 2018’s 9.427GWh, said a ministry report.
