Cambodia Modernizes Power Grid with €750,000 EU Grant

PHNOM PENH, Sept 21, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia has launched a €750,000 EU‑funded initiative to modernise its electricity grid, equipping engineers and researchers with advanced training tools and a real‑time simulator to prepare for a more complex power system driven by renewable energy and storage. The contracts were unveiled Friday by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Electricité du Cambodge (EDC), the European Union and France through the French Development Agency (AFD). Minister Keo Rottanak said Cambodia’s energy priorities had shifted, with the focus now on managing rapid growth in clean power and new technologies. French firm UKKO will supply electrical testing equipment for the Institute of Electrical Science and EDC’s training centre, while Canadian company OPAL‑RT will deliver a real‑time simulator for a joint research platform with ITC and Université Grenoble‑Alpes. The simulator will allow engineers and students to test how renewable energy and storage interact with the grid before deployment. The initiative is part of wider cooperation involving France, the EU and Canada. Under a parallel AFD‑financed project, Électricité de France and local partner SIPA will help EDC supervise major grid investments over the next four years. Cambodia already sources more than 63 percent of its installed capacity from renewables and aims to reach 70 percent by 2030. Rottanak said the long‑term value of international cooperation lies in building stronger institutions and deeper expertise, ensuring Cambodia’s grid is resilient, secure and ready for a renewable future.