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Cambodia on course to have all villages electrified by 2020
The Ministry of Mines and Energy announced that 88 percent of villages nationwide will be electrified by the end of the year, setting the government on its way to achieve its goal of connecting every village in the country to the national grid by 2020.
According to Victor Jona, director-general of the electricity department, by the end of 2018, 75 percent of all households will enjoy access to power.
“By December last year, 81.5 percent of all villages had access to electricity, and we are aiming for 88 percent before the year ends,” said Mr Jona. “By 2020, we will achieve our target of 100 percent.
“We believe our goal is realistic because Electricite du Cambodge has enough funds and support from the government to make this happen.”
The ministry is also conducting feasibility studies to build hydropower dams, coal-fired plants, as well as biomass-fired power plants and solar farms.
In 2017, total energy output was 2,283 MW, up from 2,115 MW in 2016, according to a report from the ministry.
43 percent of total generated power came from hydropower, 23 percent from coal, 11 percent from diesel and 3.6 percent from biomass, while 18 percent was imported.
Only 10 MW were generated from solar, which came from the solar farm in Bavet city in Svay Rieng province.
Speaking during an annual gathering of officials in his ministry this week, Minister of Mines and Energy Suy Sem announced that the government has approved two hydropower dams, in Koh Kong and Pursat provinces, which will supplement the six dams already in operation.
“Feasibility studies have concluded and the results are positive: we can go ahead with the projects,” Mr Jona said.
Source: http://www.khmertimeskh.com/112774/cambodia-on-course-to-have-all-villages-electrified-by-2020/