Cambodia and Russia yesterday started discussing plans for the construction of a nuclear power plant in the Kingdom as the country’s energy demand soars due to its economic growth, said a statement issued by the Ministry of Environment. A joint working group between Cambodia and Russia held its first meeting in Phnom Penh to explore the possibilities of using “atomic energy for peaceful purposes,” said the statement, quoting Minister of Environment Say Samal.
 

According to the statement, the Russian ambassador to Cambodia, Dmitry Tsvetkov, and representatives of the Russian corporation Rosatom were also present at the meeting. In June, memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed between the Council for the Development of Cambodia and Rosatom for the creation of a nuclear information center, and the creation of a joint working group for the development of nuclear energy in Cambodia. These MoUs were inked following Prime Minister Hun Sen’s official state visit to Moscow in May.
 

“Cambodia needs to meet future energy demands and achieve energy security while supporting global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change,” said the statement. “For these reasons, our government is exploring alternative energy sources, in particular hydro, solar and biomass. We have also started to discuss the possibility of benefiting from nuclear energy in the longer term. We are also interested in nuclear technology for its many applications in healthcare, industry, agriculture, and other sectors of the economy,” it added.

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