Background
Pumped-storage hydropower is an electricity storage system that uses surplus power to pump water to an upper reservoir and later releases that water to generate electricity when demand increases. In Cambodia’s power system, large-scale storage infrastructure can help balance supply and demand, especially as the country expands generation sources and seeks greater grid stability.
Cambodia’s energy policy has increasingly emphasized supply security, generation diversification, and the development of lower-emission power infrastructure. Hydropower remains part of the national electricity mix, and storage-based energy infrastructure can support system reliability by providing dispatchable capacity during peak demand periods.
Koh Kong province has been the site of major energy and infrastructure development due to its hydrological resources and connection to broader power planning. The launch of the Stung Tatai upper pumped-storage hydropower project reflects a system-level focus on long-term electricity infrastructure rather than short-term power supply alone.
Key Developments
On 10 April 2026 in Koh Kong province, Minister of Mines and Energy Keo Rottanak and Chinese Ambassador Wang Wenbin presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for the Stung Tatai upper pumped-storage hydropower project.
According to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the project has a planned capacity of 1,000 megawatts. The ministry described it as Cambodia’s first pumped-storage hydropower project and characterized it as part of the country’s green energy development direction.
The ministry stated that the project is intended to contribute to economic and social development, with particular emphasis on supporting national energy security.
Implications
The project adds a new type of electricity infrastructure to Cambodia’s energy development pipeline by introducing pumped-storage hydropower at utility scale. If implemented as planned, this type of facility could strengthen grid management capacity by storing energy and supplying power during periods of higher demand.
For investors, energy developers, and large power users, the project signals continued government support for long-term generation and storage infrastructure tied to national energy security objectives. It also indicates that Cambodia’s green energy planning includes not only generation projects but also infrastructure intended to improve system flexibility and reliability.
Official Source
Ministry of Mines and Energy, Facebook post published on 10 April 2026: Official source.
