On June 22, the Tatay Hydropower Station in Cambodia developed by China National Heavy Machinery Corporation (CHMC), a subsidiary of China National Machinery Industry Corporation (Sinomach), celebrated its 10th anniversary of successful commercial operation under a BOT arrangement.
As of May, the project has generated over 10.5 billion kWh of electricity, reducing more than 5.6 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. It has played a vital role in promoting clean energy development, stabilizing electricity prices, and supporting Cambodia’s economic growth. The project has won the award for “Outstanding contribution in Power Generation” from Electricité du Cambodge (EDC) and stands as a model of practical cooperation between China and Cambodia under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Located in Koh Kong Province in southwestern Cambodia, around 300 kilometers from the capital Phnom Penh, the Tatay Hydropower Station is nestled in a remote river valley.
Solving energy shortages
Lyu Shilong, deputy general manager of Cambodia Tatay Hydropower Limited, recalled that when he first arrived in Cambodia in 2010, the country faced a severe electricity shortage and electricity was mostly imported at high cost.
As one of Cambodia’s main sources of electricity, the Tatay Hydropower Station accounts for around 10 percent of the country’s total power generation. “The Tatay project has consistently exceeded its design capacity for 10 consecutive years. Beyond economic benefits, it also plays a key role in flood regulation and water resource management”, Lyu said.
Building a cascade system for greater efficiency
Further upstream along the rugged roads of the Tatay River lies the Upper Tatay Hydropower Project, about 20 kilometers from the original plant. With a total installed capacity of 150 megawatts, the project is scheduled to begin power generation in 2026. Once operational, the Upper Tatay Station will work in tandem with the existing plant, forming a cascade reservoir system that is expected to boost dry-season power output from the river basin by up to 65 percent.
Pioneering green finance and carbon reduction
The Tatay Hydropower project has completed four phases of Certified Emission Reductions trading under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), becoming the first hydropower station in Cambodia to complete such transactions under the United Nations framework, according to Wang Yan, deputy general manager of Cambodia Tatay Hydropower Limited.
“Our CDM experience provides a valuable model for other Cambodian hydropower projects seeking additional carbon revenue under international clean energy mechanisms,” Wang noted.
“Through its investments in clean energy in the Tatay River Basin, CHMC is actively contributing to the global fight against climate change and demonstrating a strong sense of corporate social responsibility.”
(Executive editor: Cui Feng)
