May 28, 2026
PHNOM PENH – The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), Electricité du Cambodge (EDC) and Electricité du Laos (EDL) signed a joint study framework to advance cross-border interconnection between Cambodia and Laos.
The agreement was signed by Praing Chulasa, EDC managing director, Viengthong Sackdara, EDL deputy managing director, and Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood, ACE executive director, in Phom Penh on May 26. Senior government officials from Cambodia and Laos were also present.
Until recently, Cambodia was heavily reliant on electricity imports to meet rising domestic demand. It now has reduced these imports through domestic resource development and is now advancing regional power trade, particularly in renewable energy. At the same time, Laos has emerged as a key regional exporter of hydropower, positioning the country as an important contributor to ASEAN’s low-carbon energy transition.
As ASEAN embarks on cross-border electricity exchanges, Cambodia and Laos possess strategic significance.
“Hence, this joint study framework (JSF) serves as a timely opportunity to leverage this potential,” said a joint release.
It explained that ACE, EDL and EDC will collaborate to develop a feasibility study and related studies for cross-border electricity interconnection. The framework will cover a range of activities, including technical assessments, policy and regulatory reviews, economic and commercial analysis, preliminary environmental and social impact assessments, and implementation planning, as well as training and capacity-building activities.
It also formally establishes a Steering Committee and Working Committee to provide strategic oversight and technical coordination for the study.
The joint study will be conducted under the ASEAN Power Grid Project Preparation Facility (APG-PPF), implemented through the collaboration between the World Bank (WB) and ACE within the Multi-Phase Programmatic Approach – Accelerating Sustainable Energy Transition (MPA-ASET) programme, said the release.
The EDL deputy managing director explained that the JSF signing marked a significant step forward for Laos and the EDL. It provides a clear and structured path for Laos to work with Cambodia and ACE toward a dedicated cross-border power interconnection that will allow Laos to contribute its clean hydropower resources more effectively to the region.
“EDL is fully committed to this collaboration and looks forward to delivering a high-quality Feasibility Study that benefits both our countries and the broader ASEAN energy community,” he said.
Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood noted that the study is more than a national project. It is central to the broader ASEAN Power Grid which is the region’s collective ambition to link regional electricity networks, enhance energy security for 670 million people, and accelerate the transition to clean energy.
“Cambodia and Laos, through this agreement, are helping to build that grid, one connection at a time. ACE is privileged to stand at the centre of this effort. As the region’s principal intergovernmental organisation on energy, ACE serves as the technical and analytical backbone of the APG initiative,” he said.