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Cambodia seeks Malaysia’s support in electricity export project
Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday urged Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for provision of support in the implementation of a privately-invested project for exporting renewable energy from Cambodia to Singapore as the former would need to install electrical cables under Malaysia’s seabed before they are directly connected to the latter.
During a joint press conference at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, Prime Minister Hun Sen said he raised the request to Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim soon after both prime ministers chaired a bilateral meeting and a ceremony for signing two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in terms of cross-border labour.
“Regarding the energy sector, I requested His Excellency Prime Minister for support installation of electricity cables under the seabed that would pass through the sea of Malaysia for the green energy project between Cambodia and Singapore,” he said, adding that Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also discussed this project with Malaysian counterpart.
On his part, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar bin Ibrahim said that he would ask Malaysian officials to hold discussions on the latter’s request regarding the installation of electrical cables under Malaysia’s seabed. “We are tasked to facilitate this project and our relevant officials will hold technical discussions,” he said.
Heng Kunleang, Director-General of the Energy Department of the Ministry of Mines and Energy told Khmer Times yesterday has confirmed that the project Mr Hun Sen discussed with his Malaysian counterpart at the bilateral meeting referred to the project between Cambodia’s Royal Group of Companies-Singapore’s Keppel Energy Pte Ltd (KE).
“Yes, it referred to that project,” said Kunleang, adding that Royal Group and KE would conduct a comprehensive study regarding the project.
Royal Group will export renewable energy to Singapore after the group signed an agreement with KE about two weeks ago in that country, which enable the latter to purchase the product from the former.
The deal was signed in a ceremony attended by Suy Sem, Minister of Mines and Energy and Tan See Leng, Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry, according to the source, adding that the ceremony was also participated by other senior officials from both countries including Keo Rattanak, Director of the state-owned Electricity of Cambodia (EdC).
“This agreement is a milestone of the expedition of developing the renewable energy resources… including importing electricity into Singapore,” said Tan See Leng.
Sem described the deal as a historic one under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Energy Cooperation between Cambodia and Singapore. The project he said, has strong backing from the governments of the two countries. “I have been waiting to see the fruitful results of the investment by the two companies,” he said.
Kith Meng, Chairman of Royal Group, said the agreement enables Royal Group Power to develop and export energy up to 1,000 megawatts from Cambodia to Singapore.
Earlier, Prime Minister Hun Sen lauded the Royal Group’s energy purchase agreement on exporting renewable energy to Singapore via submarine high-voltage transmission, terming it a milestone in the country’s energy development and said the governments of Cambodia and Singapore fully support the project.
“Soon, power transmission from Cambodia to Singapore via submarine transmission will be available. The energy purchase agreement has been inked recently by the Royal Group with a Singapore-based company,” Prime Minister Hun Sen said, adding that Cambodia is one of the countries that have less pollution to the environment made from energy development.
Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501263141/cambodia-seeks-malaysias-support-in-electricity-export-project/