Chinese-Built Dam Opens in Cambodia

Cambodia’s largest hydropower project opened yesterday, with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen inaugurating the Chinese-built Russei Chrum Krom project, a 338MW dam aimed primarily at providing electricity to the power-starved Cambodian countryside and to businesses. The $500 million dam was built by the China Huadian Corp., which will operate the facility for 35 years, then turn it over to Cambodia.

“The inauguration of the dam also clearly reflects close relations and cooperation between Cambodia and China,” Hun Sen said.

Li Qingkui, Chairman of the China Huadian Corp, said the dam was another historic milestone of economic cooperation between China and Cambodia, while thanking the Cambodian government for fully supporting the project.

While only about half the Cambodian population has access to electricity today, the government plans to make that at least 70% of the households by 2030.

Chinese firms have invested more than $1.6 billion to build six dams with a total capacity of 928MW in Cambodia.