Government prioritises renewable energy investment

Prime Minister Hun Sen has lauded the huge share of energy generated from renewable power sources of the country's installed electricity capacity, saying the government prioritises renewable energy investment.

Investment in renewable energy, such as hydropower, solar power and wind power, is still one of the best options for generating electricity in Cambodia, the Prime Minister said.

With a high percentage of renewable energy, Cambodia is one of the countries that do not pollute the environment, he said.

'Hydropower is still a good choice in Cambodia. So far, more than 62 percent of Cambodia's installed electricity capacity has come from renewable energy sources,' he said at a get-together with more than 300 families on March 14 in Veal Veng district, Pursat province.

'The remaining nearly 40 percent, we target to generate energy from other sources like solar power stations,' he said.

Electricity is not only a necessity of daily consumption, but also a major industrial demand for Cambodia's economic growth.

Renewable energy comes from sources such as hydropower, solar energy and biomass. Most renewable energy in Cambodia comes from hydropower dams.

According to the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC), energy supply in Cambodia rose to 4,495 megawatts in 2022, an increase of 12.6 percent from 3,990 megawatts a year earlier.

As of last year, 98.27 percent

of the total 14,168 villages in

the Kingdom have access to electricity, the EAC said.

At present, Cambodia has the capacity to generate around 70 percent of its total power demand, while the remaining still has to be bought from overseas.

He said that now across the country, 99 percent of the total villages are connected to the national grid.

In addition, the premier said currently Phnom Penh has a demand of more than 1,000 megawatts.

Cambodia currently has eight hydropower plants, with seven operational and one under construction and also has more than 150 megawatts of solar power stations connected to the national grid.

Cambodia does not plan to develop any more new coal-fired power plants in addition to the projects already approved by the government since 2019 and continues to encourage investment in clean energy to respond to climate change.

By doing so, Cambodia would switch to low-carbon energy sources such as imported natural gas, LNG or hydrogen instead and continue to encourage investment in the clean energy sector, Suy Sem, Minister of Mines and Energy said.