No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Cambodia’s Hydropower Development and China’s Involvement
Abstract
The research was undertaken to better understand the current policy and plans of the Cambodian government for the electricity sector; map the decision-making process; develop a greater understanding of the key actors involved; outline the extent of Chinese investment in Cambodia’s hydropower sector; and determine any social and environmental implications. A fieldtrip to the Kamchay Dam was undertaken to better understand the project’s impact at this early stage of development. [IRN Report]. URL:[http://www.internationalrivers.org/files/attached-files/cambodia_hydropower_and_chinese_involvement_jan_2008.pdf].
... This is largely driven by the government's strong focus on economic growth, which requires expanded access to cheap, reliable electricity (Hensengerth, 2017;Yong, 2019). It also allows Cambodia's political and business elites to take advantage of lucrative opportunities to invest in hydropower development (Middleton and Chanthy, 2008;Kimkong et al., 2013). Support for hydropower development should also be seen in the context of Cambodia's strong economic ties with China and China's cultivation of Cambodia as a key political ally (Middleton and Chanthy, 2008). ...
... It also allows Cambodia's political and business elites to take advantage of lucrative opportunities to invest in hydropower development (Middleton and Chanthy, 2008;Kimkong et al., 2013). Support for hydropower development should also be seen in the context of Cambodia's strong economic ties with China and China's cultivation of Cambodia as a key political ally (Middleton and Chanthy, 2008). ...
... However, in practice, safeguards policies were not always applied genuinely or consistently, leading to strong criticism of the role of both banks in socially and environmentally harmful development in the region (Hirsch, 2001;Shoemaker and Robichaud, 2018;Blake and Barney, 2018;Scudder, 2020). Since the early 2000s, multilateral development banks have increasingly shied away from hydropower development due to environmental and social concerns, as well as questions over economic feasibility (Middleton and Chanthy, 2008;Siciliano et.al, 2019). Now China, Thailand and Vietnam are key sources of finance. ...
... It hosts 39 mammal species-including 10 endangered species mentioned on the IUCN Red List-68 bird species, 23 reptile species and 192 fish species. The flooding of the reservoir negatively impacted on its biodiversity as species were flooded (Middleton, 2008) and no wildlife rescue operation was undertaken. Another problem was a decline in water quality, particularly during construction of the dam. ...
... By Cambodian law, particularly the sub-decree on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approved in 1999, development projects such as dams are required to have an EIA in place and approved before the construction process begins. Cambodian law also prescribed that the EIA process should be transparent, the decision-making should be accountable and a wide consultation process should involve affected local communities and civil society organisations (Middleton, 2008;NGO Forum Cambodia, 2013). At the Kamchay Dam, although the EIA process started before Sinohydro began construction, approval of the final EIA was granted seven months after the inauguration of the dam (International Rivers 2012;NGO Forum Cambodia, 2013). ...
... The items\criteria we selected for the ranking refer to the social and environmental impacts local people have experienced due to the dam construction, as well the main environmental and social issues large dams generally bring about. Therefore, the selection of the criteria was based on different sources of data and information: (i) research team experience and knowledge on large dams' impacts; (ii) analysis of the most relevant literature on the impacts of large dams in general (Bakken et al., 2014;Lerer and Scudder, 1999;McDonald-Wilmsen and Webber, 2010;Urban et al., 2013;Jackson and Sleigh, 2000;Tilt et al., 2009) and of the Kamchay dam in particular, including the analysis of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) (Middleton, 2008;NGO forum Cambodia, 2013;SAWAC 2011); (iii) results of the individual interviews on perceived impacts, as well as a scoping study conducted earlier. Table 3 gives an overview of the criteria used and their significance. ...
... For the Cambodian power system, we obtained data on voltage level (kV), number of circuits, line length (km), size (mm 2 ) and number of conductors, and capacity (MW) per circuit from [41,47]. Table B1 shows the design specifications of the Cambodian hydropower reservoirs (collected from [48,49]). To calculate the hydropower available in each dam, we adopted the following procedure. ...
PowNet is specifically conceived for systems characterized by the presence of variable renewable resources (e.g., hydropower, solar, and wind), whose penetration on the grid is strongly influenced by climatic variability and constrained by the availability of transmission capacity. To help users effectively capture the nuances of power system dynamics, PowNet is equipped with features that enable accuracy, transferability, and computational efficiency over large spatial and temporal domains. Specifically, the model (i) accounts for the techno-economic constraints of both generating units and transmission networks, (ii) can be easily coupled with models that estimate the status of generating units as a function of the climatic conditions, and (iii) explicitly includes import/export nodes, which are useful in representing cross-border systems. PowNet is implemented in Python and is compatible with any standard optimization solver (e.g., Gurobi, CPLEX). Its functionality is demonstrated on the Cambodian power system.
... For the Cambodian power system, we obtained data on voltage level (kV), number of circuits, line length (km), size (mm 2 ) and number of conductors, and capacity (MW) per circuit from [31,35]. Table B1 shows the design specifications (collected from [36,37]) of the Cambodian hydropower reservoirs. To calculate the hydropower available in each dam, we adopted the following procedure. ...
PowNet is a least-cost optimization model for simulating the Unit Commitment and Economic Dispatch (UC/ED) of large-scale (regional to country) power systems. In PowNet, a power system is represented by a set of nodes that include power plants, high-voltage substations, and import/export stations (for cross-border systems). The model schedules and dispatches the electricity supply from power plant units to meet hourly electricity demand in substations (at a minimum cost). It considers the techno-economic constraints of both generating units and high-voltage transmission network. The power flow calculation is based on a Direct Current (DC) network (with N-1 criterion), which provides a reasonable balance between modelling accuracy and data and computational requirements. PowNet can easily integrate information about variable renewable resources (e.g., hydro, wind, solar) into the UC/ED process. For example, it can be linked with models that estimate the electricity supply available from renewable resources as a function of the climatic conditions. In addition, PowNet has provision to account for the effect of droughts on the generation of dispatchable thermal units (e.g., coal, oil, gas fired units) that depend on freshwater availability. These features facilitate the application of PowNet to problems in the water-energy nexus domain that investigate the impact of water availability on electricity supply and demand.
... To expand on the EIA issue mentioned earlier, by Cambodian law, development projects such as dams are required to have an EIA in place and approved before the construction process begins. Cambodian law also prescribes that the EIA process should be transparent, the decision-making should be accountable and a wide consultation process should involve affected local communities and civil society organizations (Middleton, 2008;NGO Forum, 2013). However, at the Kamchay Dam the EIA process started late and the EIA approval was in fact granted seven months after the inauguration of the dam (International Rivers, 2013;NGO Forum, 2013). ...
Large dams have been controversially debated for decades due to their large-scale and often irreversible social and environmental impacts. In the pursuit of low-carbon energy and climate change mitigation, hydropower is experiencing a new renaissance. At the forefront of this renaissance are Chinese actors as the world's largest hydropower dam-builders. This paper aims to discuss the role of South–South technology transfer of low-carbon energy innovation and its opportunities and barriers by using a case study of the first large Chinese-funded and Chinese-built dam in Cambodia. Using the Kamchay Dam as an example, the paper finds that technology transfer can only be fully successful when host governments and organizations have the capacity to absorb new technologies. The paper also finds that technology transfer in the dam sector needs to go beyond hardware and focus more on the transfer of expertise, skills and knowledge to enable long-term sustainable development. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
... But the strategy of investing in Cambodia's infrastructure by building badly needed roads or improving electricity supply also converges with commercial interests of Chinese construction companies who are eager to acquire contracts for – sometimes highly controversial – investment projects. For example, Chinese state-owned companies are involved in a number of hydropower projects in Cambodia that previously have been rejected by international donors, but are considered prestige projects by the authoritarian Cambodian government (Middleton 2008). In Chinese – Cambodian joint ventures, Chinese investors have acquired large land concessions for agro-business, notably logging and rubber production (Global Witness 2007). ...
Abstract will be provided by author.
... In 2008, an International Rivers report warned of significant social and environmental costs accruing from poorly planned Chinese hydroelectric power plants being developed in Cambodia. 61 More recently, in 2009, a joint publication by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) urged officials to attain a balance between resource exploitation and maintenance of ecological health. 62 China's projects are now considered major contributors to the precipitous decline in biodiversity in Cambodia. ...
Cambodia is pivotal to China's strategies to project greater influence in Southeast Asia, buffer longstanding rivals, and potentially tame America's hegemony. China's transformation from regional backwater into influential global actor raises concerns for many countries. As expected, the rise of a powerful regional player makes traditional hegemonic countries anxious © 2010 by the Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
... But the strategy of investing in Cambodia's infrastructure by building badly needed roads or improving electricity supply also converges with commercial interests of Chinese construction companies who are eager to acquire contracts for -sometimes highly controversial -investment projects. For example, Chinese state-owned companies are involved in a number of hydropower projects in Cambodia that previously have been rejected by international donors, but are considered prestige projects by the authoritarian Cambodian government (Middleton 2008). In Chinese -Cambodian joint ventures, Chinese investors have acquired large land concessions for agro-business, notably logging and rubber production (Global Witness 2007). ...
Non-democratic regional powers are increasingly blamed for authoritarian backlashes in formerly democratising countries, or for the persistence of entrenched autocratic regimes in their neighbourhood. Yet there is a striking scarcity of theoretical deliberations as to why powerful autocracies should prefer autocratic neighbours over democratic ones. Employing a rational-choice model that links foreign policy behaviour to the logic of domestic politics, this article develops a theoretical argument why, and under which circumstances, autocratic regional powers should be expected to attempt to impact upon governance structures in their regional environment. Combining a political economy perspective with findings from transition literature, the authors conclude that, all else equal, autocratic regional powers have strong incentives to favour similar political systems in nearby states, but that this interest must be weighted against an overarching interest in political stability. The article discusses these theoretical findings against the backdrop of country cases in the regional environments of Russia and China.
China has re-emerged to become a dominant foreign player in Cambodia. Politically, Cambodia is one of China's oldest and closest allies. Economically, China is Cambodia's top foreign investor, a major donor, and an increasingly important trading partner. Culturally, Chinese values are deeply embedded in many aspects of Cambodian society. However, China's dominance is surrounded by renewed controversies. While the government warmly welcomes Chinese aid, saying that it comes with no strings attached, many experts are concerned that China is providing aid for more nefarious reasons. Critics also accuse Chinese investment and aid of having exacerbated corruption, weakened governance and harmed human rights, and of ruining Cambodia's natural resources and environment. With such controversies, it is relevant and significant to assess the roles that China has played and continues to play in Cambodia's socio-economic development. Using expert interviews, media analysis and an extensive literature review, this paper uniquely contributes to the existing discussion on China–Cambodia relations by closely examining the controversies of China's investment and aid, critically analysing China's interests in Cambodia, and asking if the relationship between the two nations is a positive-sum game.
To solve its chronic power shortage, the Government of Cambodia has placed the development of hydropower as one of the national priorities. With a total of US$2.4bn in investment, China is the most prominent player in hydropower development in Cambodia. The increase of hydropower projects and China’s involvement has sparked national controversy. There are contentious debates on such projects despite their potential economic benefits because of the concerns over their social and environmental consequences. Combining site visits and field interviews, this article studies the China-funded Kamchay hydropower project in Cambodia and examines its impact on the local community two years after it began operating. This article makes a distinct contribution to the ongoing debate on the effects of large-scale natural resource investments on sustainable development in Cambodia.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any references for this publication.