Despite being one of Southeast Asia’s rapidly growing economies, Cambodia is facing an energy shortage which has slowed development. The government and the Department of Public Management have invested heavily in the energy industry to combat the shortage.
The Lower Sesan II Hydropower Station in Stung Treng province is the most iconic project launched by the department. It aims to not only contribute to the national energy industry but to improve the quality of life for Cambodians as well.
The Lower Sesan II Hydropower Project is a joint venture between China, Cambodia and Vietnam. China Huaneng Group is responsible for the construction, operation and management of the project.
Due to the construction of the Lower Sesan II Hydropower Station, China Huaneng Group built news houses to relocate 840 households, a total of 3,690 people, who were living near the site. Srel Kor Thmey village is home to 500 of these relocated families.
Ki Mon, a 45-year-old mother of two, said the new village provides her family with a convenient life, high-quality roads, drainage systems, clean water, cheap electricity, schools and hospitals which were not available in her old village.
“In the old village, I had a thatched house and a small patch of farmland. After I agreed to move, the company built an 80 square metre wooden house for me. The land that belongs to me now is 1,000 square metres,” she said. “The company also compensated the crops I lost in the old village, and the government also gave me another 5 hectares of farmland.”
Ming Va, another resident of Srel Kor Thmey village, said: “I am very happy as my youngest son received a scholarship from China Huaneng Group. The scholarship included cash and stationery. They are issued every year in the company’s newly built school. After receiving the scholarship, my son was very happy and he now studies harder.”
Cai Kaiming, a Cambodian employee of China Huaneng Group, is in charge of the resettlement compensation. He has witnessed the improvement of the villagers’ lives. “I’m very happy to see the villagers enjoying their new life. I am satisfied. It embodies our company’s purposes: to provide energy and to benefit the people of Cambodia.”
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