Lao energy not so ‘cheap’: experts
During a visit to the Lao border on January 10, Prime Minister Hun Sen thanked the government of Laos for “selling electricity at a cheap price to Cambodia”. Experts, however contend a continued reliance on energy imports means prices will invariably remain high for consumers. Electricity prices in Cambodia are, in fact, among the highest in the region. The most inexpensive option comes from the national grid, where prices range from $0.11 to $0.27 per kilowatt hour, but only about 25 percent of the country is connected to the grid. Prices in neighbouring countries, meanwhile, cost an average of $0.08 per kilowatt hour. In Cambodia, some electricity suppliers use diesel fuel or charge transmission tariffs that can reach up to $1 per kilowatt hour. Rather than buying “cheap” electricity from abroad, experts say, the first step in reducing the cost of electricity is upgrading the Kingdom’s grid.
