Power supply covers over 1/3 of cambodians

Power supply in Cambodia had reached 34 percent of the whole population as of last year, up 4.5 percent from 29.5 percent in 2010, according to reports released by the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy on Monday. Power supply in 2011 totaled 635.5 megawatts. Capital city Phnom Penh consumed some 349.4 megawatts, or 55 percent of the entire capacity, said the reports. Suy Sem, minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, said Monday that Cambodia saw the energy sector as one of the most important elements for economic development and poverty alleviation. "Now, a number of hydropower dams have been constructing and electric transmission grids have been erecting, some will be completed in coming years," he said at the opening of the ministry 's annual conference. "We project that all Cambodia's villages will have electricity by 2020, and at least 70 percent of the Cambodian households will have access to electricity by 2030." China is leading in Cambodia's electricity development. The Sinohydro Corporation began operations of the 193-megawatt Kamchay hydroelectric dam in Southwest Cambodia last December. Four other China-invested hydroelectric dams with a total capacity of 722 megawatts have been under construction, including Kirirom III hydropower dam with a capacity of 18 megawatts, 246- megawatt Tatay river hydropower dam, 120-megawatt Atay hydropower dam and 338-megawatt Russei Chrum Krom, according to the ministry's reports.