National Solar Park Project The proposed National Solar Park Project will support the construction of solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants in Cambodia, and address the country's need to: (i) expand low-cost power generation, (ii) diversify the power generation mix and increase the percentage of clean energy in its generation mix in line with its stated greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets, and (iii) expand the use of competitive tenders and other global best practices in the sector. The project is the first of its kind in Cambodia, and builds on lessons learnt from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Private Sector Operations Department's financing of a 10-megawatt (MW) solar farm at Bavet, Svay Rieng Province in 2016. The project will be included in the country operations business plan (COBP), 2018-2020 to be issued later in 2017, and the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has formally requested financing for the project from ADB. The government has also requested ADB's assistance to access cofinancing for the project through a combination of concessional loan and grant resources from the Strategic Climate Fund (SCF). 

The project will support the national electricity utility, EDC, to construct a solar power park near the Phnom Penh demand center (Kampong Speu and Kampong Chhnang Provinces ) and a transmission interconnection system to the nearest grid substation (GS6) selected by EDC.  The Park will consist of 150-200 hectares of land, fencing, drainage, roads, and plant buildings, and will be able to accommodate at least 100 MW of PV plant capacity. The transmission interconnection system expansion will include a solar park substation with 2 transformers (one additional for redundancy), switchgear, controls, and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system compatible with the EDC's SCADA requirements; a dedicated 3,040-kilometer 115-kilovolt transmission line between the solar park and GS6; and a new bay with switchgear at GS6. Further, EDC will tender out the first solar plant to be established within the solar park to the private sector and execute a long-term power purchase agreement. The tender will be for a 3,050 MW solar PV generating plant, to include crystalline-silicon solar arrays and mounting structures, power conversion units (inverters and associated transformers), direct current and alternating current plant cabling, power controls, and SCADA. The development of the 3,050 MW plant will be financed by the private sector through private sector equity and commercial debt.

Under a transaction advisory services (TAS) agreement that has been signed between the two institutions, ADB's Office of Public-Private Partnership (OPPP) will assist EDC to design and conduct a competitive tender for procuring the first power plant (3,050 MW) that would be built by the private sector, and located within the park.  As transaction advisor, ADB will perform project due diligence (including legal, technical, financial, environmental and social due diligence) and market sounding, prepare the feasibility study,  assist the development of tender documents and power purchase agreements, and support the review and selection process. In this role, ADB will bring to bear its considerable experience with the development of solar parks in India. 

The project will have two outputs: (i) solar park, transmission facilities and supporting infrastructure constructed; and (ii) EDC's capacity for integration of renewable energy, including advanced technologies such as energy storage, into the national grid strengthened. These outputs will result in the outcome: solar energy power generation in Cambodia increased.  The project is aligned with the following impact: Cost of electricity in Cambodia lowered.