A US-Canadian joint venture is preparing to build a temporary power station in Battambang province, even though the government has an exclusive agreement on electricity with another firm.
Jupiter International Resources Cambodia is moving to purchase for $2.5 million equipment for a temporary 2.9-megawatt power station, Vice President Michael Fogarty said last week.
The equipment could be in the northwestern province within a few days.
Battambang town has suffered almost-aily power outages that have worsened in recent years said Nam Tum, the province’s second deputy governor. “We need help—the power always goes off and on, off and on,” Nom Tum said.
Help is supposed to come from the British-based Anglo-Cambodia Holdings company, which signed a 20-year contract in early 1997 to provide two new power plants for Battambang town. A company spokesperson said the project is stalled because the government has not met its contractual obligation to privatize state-run Electricite du Cambodge.
The Jupiter equipment is only going in temporarily until the Anglo-Cambodia project is up and running, a Ministry of Industry official said last month.
The equipment is to be installed on a temporary basis, Fogarty confirmed. But he said Jupiter has asked the Ministry of Industry to allow it to operate for “at least two years” to recoup costs.
Jupiter and the US-based construction giant Caterpillar Inc formed a joint venture last month. The new partnership aims to take on smaller power contracts in Indonesia and Cambodia.
