“It is an important project to generate electricity for the development of the economy. The construction of Lower Sesan 2 hydropower dam is currently at 70 per cent, and we expect to finish in April 2017,” he said.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Hun Sen led a delegation to visit the construction site and talk with the people in three affected villages — Kbal Romeas Thmey, Sre Sranok, and Chrab of Kbal Romeas commune, Sesan district — who had to relocate.

Families that had to relocate will receive housing along with other compensation.

The hydropower dam was built under the Build-Operate-Transfer contract signed in mid-2014. It is a joint venture development project between China’s Hydrolancang International Energy (51 per cent share), Cambodia’s Royal Group (39 per cent), and Vietnam’s EVN (10 per cent).

According to the ministry of energy and mines, Cambodia currently generates a total of about 1,072 megawatts of electricity to supply the country’s energy needs, especially in Phnom Penh.

The country’s energy sources include electricity import from Vietnam (170 megawatts), Thailand (120 megawatts), while the rest are from hydropower dams and coal power plant.

Cambodia needs to generate up to 2,123 megawatts to respond the economic growth and development.