Hun Sen praises China for building hydropower plants in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 7 -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen praised China on Monday for building hydropower plants in his country.

Making speech during his visit to a 193-megawatt hydropower plant project being built in Kampot province, Hun Sen said "China is building batteries for Cambodia."

Hun Sen said China is well-known in building hydropower not only in China, but also in some African countries and in Cambodia in particular.

The already half-way completion of 193-megawatt hydropower plant being built in Kampot province, 150 kilometers southwest of Phnom Penh--is invested by Sinohydro Corporation from China.

Sinohydro Corporation is building five hydropower plants in the area and once they are to be completed in 2011, they will generate193 megawatts of power.

The power will not only be used in Kampot province, but also to be supplied to Phnom Penh residents.

Besides the above project, at least four more hydropower plants in two provinces of Pursat and Koh Kong will be built by Chinese companies.

So far, two hydropower plants located in Kirirom mountain area, about 120 kilometers west of Phnom Penh --also built by a Chinese company are already put for operation and are producing 30 megawatts.

Hun Sen also said Monday that while Cambodia is still short of power supplies, the government has been spending about 20 million U.S. dollars per year as a subsidy to keep the price of electricity stable despite the higher price of the oil in global markets.¡¡