IPPAI & ICC, Cambodia signs MoU to transform the energy landscape in Cambodia

The Independent Power Producers Association of India (IPPAI) has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Cambodia, today, at Hotel Sofitel, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The MoU was signed by Mr. Harry Dhaul, Director General, IPPAI, and Mr. Sandeep Majumdar, Vice-President, ICC, Cambodia, in the presence of dignitaries like H.E. Mr. Keo Rottanak, RGC Delegate in Charge of Managing EdC, Advisor to Prime Minister; H.E. Mr. Sorasak Pan, Secretary of State, Ministry of Commerce; H.E. Mr. Ith Prang, Secretary of State (Department of New & Renewable Energy, Ministry of Mines & Energy, Kingdom of Cambodia); Mr. Victor Jona, Director General, General Department of Energy, Ministry of Mines and Energy; H.E. Dr. T.Y. Norin, Chairman-Secretary of State, Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC); H.E. Mr. Naveen Srivastava, Indian Ambassador to Cambodia; Mr. Balawant Joshi, Managing Director, Idam Infrastructure (India); and Dr. Pramod Deo, Former Chairman, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) (India);

The conference provided an opportunity for a high-level dialogue with the Government of Cambodia, the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC), Electricité du Cambodge (EDC) and other government authorities to explore investment opportunities as well as share the best practices from the Indian experience to usher in a new era of reforms in Cambodia.

The broad objective of this conference was to facilitate business contacts between Indian businessmen and their counterparts in Cambodia, to understand each others’ needs and capabilities explore investment opportunities and promote technology transfer and joint ventures. Indian companies also used this opportunity as a base to access ASEAN and CLMV (Cambodia, Lao DPR, Myanmar and Vietnam) markets. Giving the keynote address, H.E. Mr. Keo Rottanak, RGC Delegate in Charge of Managing EdC, Advisor to Prime Minister, said: “A surge in generation from hydro and coal-based thermal plants is expected by 2018 but the focus of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) remains in achieving 100% rural electrification and promotion of generation from new and renewable sources of energy (mainly solar and biomass).” Mr. Harry Dhaul, Director General, IPPAI said “there is a need for enabling power sector reforms in Cambodia especially at the policy and regulatory level”.

H.E. Mr. Naveen Srivastava, Indian Ambassador to Cambodia, said the country is a very important country in terms of significant potential market for Indian industries. According to him, “As India embarks on the new phase of its Act East Policy, and as Cambodia prepares for successfully integrating economically in to the ASEAN Community, both countries hope to work with each other to realize this potential, especially in energy sector.”