China’s Export and Import Bank (Eximbank) and China Electric Power Technology Import Export Corporation (CEPTIEC) have signed an agreement to finance the rehabilitation of the Kirirom 1 hydro power project in Cambodia.
The project, estimated to cost about US$20M, will have an annual output of of 64GWh. China’s Eximbank granted US$16M to finance CETIC’s rehabilitation of the plant which, on completion, CETIC will operate for 30 years before handing it over to Cambodia.
The project complements a four-year US$18.6M Asian Development Bank project which was agreed on 6 December 2000, to upgrade power supply in eight provincial capitals. Although most towns depend mainly on diesel generation, they will also be connected to an extending grid which Kirirom 1 will supply.