Chinese firm Shanxi Institute wins bid for $230M solar project in Prey Veng, Cambodia
Location of the proposed solar power plant marked within the satellite image. Shanxi Institute has won an EPC bid for a 250MW PV power project in Prey Veng, Cambodia. China Energy Engineering Corporation
Shanxi Institute, a subsidiary of China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC), an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor, has won an EPC bid for a 250 megawatts (MW) PV power project in Prey Veng, Cambodia, with a contract value of approximately RMB1.691 billion (US$233.1 million), PV Tech, a specialised portal on developments in the solar energy sector, reported on Saturday.
“As part of the Cambodia Power Development Master Plan (2022-2040), the project is located in the southeastern part of Cambodia, about 90 kilometers east of the capital Phnom Penh,” the report said.
Its total designed installed capacity is about 250MW, covering a construction area of approximately 253 hectares. The project will be developed on two plots, each with a 22kV switch station, it added.
The project is expected to begin construction next month and is targeted to begin operations in March 2026. “Upon completion, the project will significantly boost renewable energy development in Cambodia.”
Once operational, the project is expected to help the country reach its target of having more than 1GW of operational PV capacity by 2030, said a report from the Cambodian Ministry of Mines and Energy.
According to Weiwei, an official from China Energy Construction West Institute, the project follows the successful implementation of the 30 MW photovoltaic project in Banteay Meanchey, Cambodia.
“After completion, it will provide strong support for Cambodia’s green and low-carbon transformation, further promote the development of renewable energy in Cambodia, and achieve a green transformation of the energy structure.”
In 2018, the Kingdom introduced a solar generation regulation, a new driver for the country’s solar PV system development and the country’s grid-scale solar development started only a year before this with just a 10 MW pilot project.
As of today, nine solar power plants are connected to the national grid and are capable of producing up to 444 MW, according to the Stimson Center’s Mekong Infrastructure Tracker.
The Tracker also says that 620 MW of capacity is on the way from two solar farms currently under construction, with an additional four installations planned.
Speaking to Khmer Times, Akshay Pattumuri Venugopal, renewable energy expert and technical consultant based in Phnom Penh, said Cambodia possesses the potential to emerge as a solar energy champion.
“Cambodia enjoys ample sunshine throughout the year, making it an ideal location for solar energy. This natural resource advantage can significantly reduce production costs and enhance the competitiveness of Cambodian-made solar products.”
Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501644062/chinese-firm-wins-bid-for-230m-solar-project-in-cambodia/
