Is Cambodia next in line to enter Asia's growing nuclear family?

The Kingdom recently sealed a deal for nuclear cooperation.

In a historic move for the Southeast Asian nation, the Kingdom of Cambodia has signed two memoranda of co-operation with Russian State Corporation for nuclear energy, Rosatom.

The documents, signed by Rosatom CEO, Mr Sergey Kirienko and Mr Sai Samal, the Chairman of the Cambodian National Council for Sustainable Development are the Memorandum on Nuclear Energy Information Center in Cambodia and the Memorandum on a Cambodia-Russia joint working group on the peaceful uses of atomic energy.

The documents were witnessed by the Prime Ministers of both nations, Mr Dmitry Medvedev and Mr Hun Sen.

The Kingdom, which has emerged as a nation of tremendous potential in the last 20 years, following three decades of civil war, is aiming for energy independence. Building a national nuclear energy complex has been advanced to a primary national focus as the once decimated Indochinese state comes of age at breakneck speed.

Economic development and growth of an educated middle class has placed unsustainable pressure on the current energy mix, with energy usage growing at a rate of 20% per annum since 2010. “With an energy mix of fossil fuel-based power plants, imports from neighbouring countries and more recently hydropower, Cambodia needs to meet future energy demands and achieve energy security,” said Deputy Minister of Environment of Cambodia and Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the National Council for the Sustainable Development of Cambodia, Mr Tin Ponolok, speaking to the ATOMEXPO 2016 International Forum delegation in Moscow earlier in the month.

Mr Tin continued that Cambodia will take a balanced and cautious but optimistic approach to the implementation of its nuclear industry. “We have started to discuss the possibility of benefitting from nuclear energy in the long term. We are aware of its advantages as well as taking into consideration the economic, political, environmental and social challenges associated with its utilisation.”

The Memorandum on Nuclear Energy Information Center is a vital step in forging a new era of heightened co-operation between the two countries. The Information Center is expected to have a large role to play in driving and enhancing public acceptance of atomic energy in the Kingdom, raising the prestige of the profession and allowing the population to achieve a better understanding of the nuclear energy principles and industry development. The Center is planned to become a platform for joint cultural and educational events for various population demographics, primarily children and students, with a view to building a future generation of highly trained nuclear experts. Importantly, the Center will not follow a commercial mandate but will focus on the promotion of all the aspects of the peaceful uses of atomic energy.

In a joint statement issued by Rosatom and the Cambodian National Council for Sustainable Development, the direction was set for the development of a Cambodia-Russia joint working group on the peaceful uses of atomic energy. This second historic memorandum will make it possible for the parties to hold regular meetings combining experts from the two countries with the aim of defining and implementing joint projects.

With reports from Simon Hyett