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ELECTRICITY
The government has received the loan with the low interest rate US$25 millions from the World Bank and US$5 millions from Global Environment Funds to build the new electricity project. The projects are estimated US$1,140 millions over the next 30 years to supply the electricity power to approximately 70% of Cambodians.
Currently, about 7% of the rural residents has access to reliable electricity supply. Another 45% has less dependable battery powered electricity. For the improvement of the electricity, the government has developed five major strategies as below:
1- An annual 9% increase in the number of households with the reliable electricity.
2- Encouraging E.D.C and private electricity producers to find new sources of hydro-electricity and solar energy.
3- Training course provided by the government for 6000 existing rural electricity enterprise.
4- Forming the collectives in the remote area who would invest their own money in the partnerships with the government for the donor fund.
5- Encouraging the government to promptly approve the Joint Venture License between the private investors and the local collectives.
Recently Asian Development Bank has approved the loan US$18 millions for the electricity projects in Udor Meachey, Kampot, Kompong Seu, Prey Vey, Kratie, Takeo, Ratanakiri and Svay Rien provinces. It is estimated at least 170,000 persons will be benefited in the above projects. To comply with the current market need, most of the cities will change the new diesel generators.
The generating capacity consists mostly of small diesel generating sets and a 3 X 6 MW oil fired steam turbine station. In Phnom Penh City, there are 25,000 privately owned captive diesel generators ranging in size from 350 W to 1,000 KW. Under World Bank Fund, a 115 KW network is being constructed around Phnom Penh and 22 KW distribution is being introduced.
The rehabilitation of the generating sets and the distribution system has been funded by the World Bank. Asian Development Bank and bilateral donors. The remaining 21 small system cater for the needs of provincial towns with a total installed generating capacity of about 20 MW, ranging in size from 100 KW at Preah Vihear to 4,450 KW at Sihanoukville.
According to the forecast of E.D.C, Cambodiaˇ¦s future electricity demand is projected at 175 MW in 2000, 380 MW in 2010 and 760 MW in 2020.
Conclusion:
The current electricity price in Cambodia is still very expensive. The Royal Government and Private sectors should work closely together to look for the best way to solve the above-mentioned problem because the expensive price of electricity is also the main obstacle for the industry development.
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