Phonesack Xekong power station
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Phonesack Xekong power station is a permitted power station in Kaleum, Sekong, Laos. It is also known as Kaleum Coal Fired Power Plant.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Phonesack Xekong power station | Kaleum, Sekong, Laos | 15.7166, 106.65 (approximate) |
The map below shows the approximate location of the power station.
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | Start year | Retired year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase I | permitted | coal - unknown | 300 | unknown | 2025 | – |
| Phase II | permitted | coal - unknown | 600 | unknown | 2025 | – |
| Phase III | permitted | coal - unknown | 900 | unknown | 2027 | – |
Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details
| Unit name | Owner |
|---|---|
| Phase I | Xekong Thermal Power Plant Co Ltd [100.0%] |
| Phase II | Xekong Thermal Power Plant Co Ltd [100.0%] |
| Phase III | Xekong Thermal Power Plant Co Ltd [100.0%] |
Project-level coal details
- Coal source(s): mine-mouth
Background
An old iteration of this project consisted of a 2 x 300 MW Thermal Power Plant.[1]
In October 2019, it was reported that Cambodia’s state-owned utility firm Electricite du Cambodge signed a 30-year deal to buy coal power from two producers with a combined capacity of 2,400 MW: the 1,800 MW Xekong power station and the Sekong power station, both situated in Laos’ Sekong province. The two plants were to be built in four phases, commissioned from 2024 to 2027.[2]
In October 2020, an official from the Laos Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) said the construction of a US$400 million power transmission line connecting Cambodia to Laos and the Thai border will start in 2021.[3]
In February 2021, a senior Lao government official said an 1,800 MW coal plant – presumably Xekong – would be built by Phonesack Group Co in the Kaleum district of Sekong (Xekong) province. It was expected to be constructed at a cost of between US$3 billion to US$4 billion and to include the construction of power lines needed to transmit electricity to Cambodia.[4]
In January 2022, PSG Corporation was successful in their tender to become the turnkey contractor for construction works related to Phase I of the project.[5] In June 2022, the company appeared to be hiring a Finance and Accounting Manager for Xekong Power Plant Co. in Kaleum District.[6]
In August 2022, the project's environmental impact assessment was reportedly approved at a meeting co-chaired by the Deputy Governor of Sekong Province and Laos' Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.[7]
In September 2022, the Cambodian Ministry of Mines and Energy reportedly approved the exclusive purchase of 1800 MW of electricity from Xekong Thermal Power Plant Co Limited's Xekong power station.[8] As of October 2022, the project had an expected start date of 2025.[9]
In June 2023, it was reported that the construction contract had been amended to extend the plant's construction period. [10]
Opposition
In October 2021, Bridget McIntosh, country director of EnergyLab Cambodia, argued that by damping economic activity and the growth in demand for power, the pandemic had given Phnom Penh the chance to rethink its strategy – particularly plans to import 2.4 GW of coal power from Laos. "If the 2,400MW of coal imported from Laos will struggle to get finance now, wouldn't it be better to invest in solar and wind in Cambodia?" she said. "It would result in billions of dollars of investment, local green jobs and much needed economic stimulus."[11][12]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ "Xekong Power Plant Limited," Phonesack Group, accessed August 2015
- ↑ "Cambodian-Lao coal power deal an environmental worry," Asia News Network, October 15, 2019
- ↑ "Cambodia's $400 million transmission line to bring in Laos, Thailand power," Thailand Construction and Engineering News, October 29, 2020
- ↑ "Laos to build coal-fired power plants in order to sell electricity to Kingdom," Khmer Times, February 7, 2021
- ↑ "PSG extends gains following 9-billion-baht power plant project in Laos," Thai Enquirer, January 13, 2022
- ↑ "Finance and Accounting Manager: Phonesack Group Co., LTD," Vietnam Works, June 2022
- ↑ "แขวงเซกองประชุมหารือเตรียมการก่อสร้างโครงการโรงไฟฟ้าพลังงานความร้อนถ่านหิน เมืองกะลึม," สถานกงสุลใหญ่ ณ แขวงสะหวันนะเขต, August 26, 2022
- ↑ "柬埔寨进口电力来源国有「老挝电力," cszx123.com, September 29, 2022
- ↑ "Regional electricity trade in ASEAN," PwC, October 18, 2022
- ↑ "PSG ดีดบวก 6% เก็งงบ Q2 โตต่อ บุ๊กรายได้ก่อสร้างต่างประเทศหนุน," Kaohoon, June 12, 2023
- ↑ "Cambodia counts the cost of its push to expand coal-fired power," Nikkei Asia, October 1, 2021
- ↑ "Opinion: Cambodia can secure reliable electricity without new coal," China Dialogue, October 27, 2021
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of coal-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
