The river island of Koah Peam Reang is located in the Mekongriver, approximately 60km south of Cambodia’s capital city, Phnom Penh. Likemany other island communities on the river, Koah Peam Reang has a flourishingagricultural industry, with the island’s soilsbeing regenerated year-on-year by rich river silts travelling downstream.

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The island’s location however means that it is too hard for the national power utility company to connect to the power grid, so the islanders are currently forced to use diesel-powered water pumps to irrigate their farmland.

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AEL is part-way through a project feasibility study to confirm the benefits that an HKS.r platform could bring to Koah Peam Reang. The platform could supply the island with power for both domestic and industrial use, paving the way for other HKS projects in the country, and harnessing the huge natural resource of the Mekong without affecting its delicate and diverse natural ecosystems.

Our feasibility study, part funded by a dedicated Innovate UK Energy Catalyst grant, will provide a comprehensive pathway definition for undertaking a full HKS.r project at Koah Peam Reang.

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This includes:

• Survey of the Mekong at Koah Peam Reang to define where-and-when river flows are highest, and where to best locate an HKS.r platform.
• Consultation with local and National government to define permitting and licencing requirements for an HKS project.
• Direct engagement with the villagers of Koah Peam Reang to assess potential uses for domestic electricity, and promote a wide range of use cases.
• Integration with the ongoing efforts of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in Cambodia, to align with the UK’s wider business engagement with Cambodia.