Feb 6, 2009 - BBC Monitoring via Comtex

[Report by Ravuth M.: "Purchased Electricity from Vietnam Available Soon"]

Phnom Penh - Electricity purchased from Vietnam will be available for consumers in Phnom Penh in the first half of this year, said an official of the Electricity of Cambodia (EDC).

Sin Hel, Director of EDC Power Network and Distribution Department, said the erection of electric poles and construction of networks were reaching the completion and connection towards the city of Phnom Penh would take place soon.

The city of Phnom Penh will be sufficiently supplied with power when the 200 megawatts electricity purchased from Vietnam is connected, he said, adding that Phnom Penh is also going to get an additional supply of 180 megawatts once the construction of Kamchay hydropower plant and power lines are completed.

At the moment, he indicated, there is no problem of insufficient supply, as the EDC is capable of generating around 180 to 190 megawatts, but there will be the problem for a short period in the coming dry season.

However, he noticed, the shortage is not high because some of the factories are using their own generators.

Sin Hel said there were some accidental blackouts in the city, and that was not due to the insufficient supply, but to technical matters with short circuits caused by the private construction sites. - AKP (By Mr Ravuth M.)

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse email, Phnom Penh, in English 6 Feb 09

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