Cambodia’s Lower Sesan 2 hydropower plant ready in case of power shortage
In order to ensure the safe and stable operation of the Lower Sesan 2 Hydropower Station amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Cambodian and Chinese employees from the plant’s operation and maintenance department have been continuously working for more than 120 days to tackle emergency issues in the plant.
Thea Kosal, one of the plant’s Cambodian engineers, told Khmer Times, “At present, there are 26 Chinese employees at the hydropower station. They have been at their posts since the Spring Festival early this year and have been working on operations and logistics alongside 130 Cambodian workers.
All employees have been standing by their posts to provide safe, stable and clean electricity to Cambodia and ensure the country has enough power amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The powerplant is under emergent operation mode, effectively guaranteeing normal power supply in the Kingdom.
Located in Stung Treng province, the plant has already provided its employees with medical equipment. As of now, 3,500 protective suits, 1,900 isolation suits, 1,337 fully enclosed goggles, 72,400 pairs of disposable medical gloves and 52,180 masks have been urgently procured by overseas units of the company to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its employees. The company last month donated 20,000 masks in aid to China.
“We are willing to stand with the Cambodian people at this critical moment and help the medical staff who are fighting at the frontlines against the pandemic,” Li Jie, a Chinese engineer, said.
He added, “We have been actively assisting the local government of Stung Treng province to raise awareness regarding COVID-19 preventative measures among the people living near the powerplant.”
The largest powerplant in the country, the Lower Sesan 2 Hydropower Station is a joint venture of Huneng Lancang River Hydropower, the Royal Group, and Vietnam’s EVNI. Its construction is in line with the Belt and Road Initiative, similar to the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone (SSEZ) and the planned Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway.
From the beginning of 2020 until March 31, the plant has generated a total of 120.8794 million KWh of electricity, which were delivered to Phnom Penh and the provinces of Stung Treng and Ratanakiri.
Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50711057/lower-sesan-2-hydropower-plant-ready-in-case-of-power-shortage/
