Road mishap

ELECTRICITÉ Du Cambodge, the government-run electricity provider, has called for a private firm responsible for a highway expansion project to compensate them for damage to underground power cables, threatening legal action if they do not take responsibility for the accident.

AZ Investment Co Ltd, which is coordinating the expansion of National Road 4, destroyed three cables on Monday, triggering a three-hour-long blackout across Dangkor district.

An official for EDC, who asked not to be named, said yesterday that the utility initially wanted to find a peaceful solution with the firm, but they planned to file a letter of complaint to the court.

He did not comment on the extent of the damage, but said AZ has attempted to evade responsibility in the past.

Tim San, a director of road maintenance for AZ, admitted yesterday that the firm’s machinery had destroyed the cables, but claimed that he had already filed a report on the damage.

AZ General Manager Chuon Vandan did not comment in detail, but said the company had plans to solve the problem.