Energy

The fate of 70 million people rests on what happens to the Mekong river. With world leaders meeting in Paris next week for crucial UN climate talks, John Vidal journeys down south-east Asia’s vast waterway – a place that encapsulates some of the dilemmas they ...

Russia will help Cambodia work towards building a nuclear power plant under an agreement the two countries signed this week, said Sergei Kirienko, the head of state nuclear firm Rosatom. ...

In the wake of mass flooding, the company behind Cambodia’s first major hydropower dam used a government visit last week to distance itself from recent controversies and quell fears about the project’s alleged downsides.In September, Kampot province experienced widespread flooding that left thousands temporarily homeless ...

The Chinese company that operates the hydroelectric power plant on the Kamchay River in Kampot province yesterday denied that a decision to open the dam’s gates during a recent storm was the cause of severe flooding in the area. ...

A hand-painted sign nailed to a tree at the entrance of Sre Ko village along the southern banks of the Se San River in Stung Treng province greets visitors with a disturbing message – one made even more alarming by the seemingly tranquil environment and ...

Cambodia continues to struggle to adopt a balanced approach to its energy needs, according to a report released by the World Energy Council (WEC) today. ...

Kampong Speu provincial deputy governor Vey Samnang is scratching his head over a dispute between a company that operates a cashew plantation, Ouk Khun, in his province and villagers who say it grabbed their land and then installed electricity cables to electrocute them.  ...

A team of energy regulators from the four Lower Mekong countries and the United States began a three-day forum yesterday in the capital to try to coordinate a clean energy strategy for the region. ...

Fish stocks in the Mekong River in Cambodia and the Vietnamese Delta could be halved if 11 planned hydropower dams go ahead, according to the preliminary results of an extensive study funded by the Vietnamese government. ...

Villagers in northern Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province on Tuesday urged the government to suspend construction of a Chinese-backed dam until they are promised compensation for flooding they say will inundate area communities, forests and farmland if the project is allowed to proceed. ...

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen will soon meet with heads of the gasoline importing companies to discuss the gasoline price in Cambodia, according to the state news agency-AKP. Cambodia has currently eight big petroleum companies and distributors including SOKIMEX, TELA, PTT (Cambodia), CALTEX, Bright Victory ...

Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong asked Laos’ deputy prime minister for further study of the Don Sahong hydropower dam before construction begins during a meeting with the envoy in Phnom Penh on Tuesday. ...

Cambodian electricity is among the most expensive in the world. High government tariffs mean it can cost as much as 21 cents per kilowatt-hour for electricity in the capital, and more in the provinces where the electrical grid is underdeveloped. The high prices have made ...

The Ministry of Commerce has called for a meeting with fuel retailers to review prices at the pump after Prime Minister Hun Sen urged them to set prices that reflect falling global oil prices, a government official said.Ken Ratha, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, ...

Cambodia has a poor electrical grid, but plenty of sun—making it a perfect candidate for more solar power. But the sector remains small, particularly for rural use and farms, where it would be very useful. ...

Prime Minister Hun Sen called for all gasoline local companies to cut their prices in line with falling world prices for oil. ...

The greatest barrier to bringing solar power to Cambodia’s villages is not the cost, the lack of trained engineers, or the lack of equipment, analysts say. The SNV is only funded for the next three years. Mr. Barbian said he hopes the government will be ...

Residents of Kampot province continued to feel the devastating effects yesterday of widespread flooding in the area caused by the opening of the Kamchay Hydropower Dam, which has left thousands temporarily homeless and crippled local businesses.Keo Vy, spokesman of the National Committee for Disaster Management ...

Local government officials in a southern Cambodian province failed to evacuate villagers in time to prevent their homes and rice fields from flooding after the operators of a Chinese-built hydropower dam informed them a day earlier that they would open the facility’s gates to release ...

Cambodia and Malaysia have reached an agreement to collaborate on renewable energy and green technology, officials confirmed yesterday. ...

A program to provide credit to people to buy home solar panels is set to launch this month after three microfinance organizations agreed to sign on, said Arjen Luxwolda, managing director of solar provider Kamworks. ...

A prominent activist in Koh Kong province who has opposed the construction of the Stung Cheay Areng dam has been summonsed to court for alleged “forest crimes”. ...

When the Lao national assembly last week approved a potentially destructive dam project just 2 kilometers from the border with Cambodia, the surprise announcement was yet another blow to the regional framework designed to protect the Mekong River.  ...

Local petroleum retailers responded to a government deadline yesterday by agreeing to adopt a flexible pricing mechanism to reflect fluctuations in global oil prices, but there will not be any immediate price reductions, according to a Commerce Ministry spokesperson. ...