MAN Energy Solutions – together with China National Heavy Machinery Corporation (CHMC) – has commissioned a 200 MW power plant near the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, and handed it over to national utility, Electricité du Cambodge. The power plant consists of eleven MAN 18V51/60DF engines and covers the average energy requirements for around 70,000 households. CHMC was responsible for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of the power plant, while MAN Energy Solutions took care of the supply and commissioning of the eleven engines and related plant auxiliaries.

Wayne Jones OBE, Chief Sales Officer at MAN Energy Solutions, said: “The new power plant will make a significant contribution to securing the power supply in Cambodia − regardless of weather or climatic conditions.”

In the dry seasons of recent years, the country’s national grid has faced stability issues due to the inability of its hydropower plants to operate at full capacity. As a result, the Cambodian government launched an emergency program in 2019 to stabilize the supply system through flexible generation capacity. “Reliability and flexibility is what our engines are known for, and we are proud to be a part of this endeavor,” Jones added.

Ambitious schedule

The project followed a tight timeline to deliver and successfully commission all eleven engines in less than 20 months. Ultimately, the MAN project team succeeded despite the numerous constraints posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. “For three months in the spring of 2020, our supervisors were only able to monitor the assembly of the plant remotely,” said Martin Höhler, Head of Power, Asia Pacific Region at MAN Energy Solutions. “However, thanks to digital tools, a special effort by all sides and our excellent cooperation with CHMC, we were able to make up this time and maintain the ambitious schedule.”

The power plant will initially run on heavy fuel oil, however, it will be possible to operate the dual-fuel engines with much-lower-emission natural gas in the future. “The plant is located directly on the banks of the Mekong River in the Lvea Aem district in Kandal Province, with the potential to add an LNG terminal at a later date. Our engines are designed for natural gas and can switch seamlessly from one fuel type to another during operation,” Höhler explained.

MAN PrimeServ with five-year service contract

MAN Energy Solutions will continue to support the project after commissioning. As part of a service contract, MAN PrimeServ, the company's after-sales brand, will supply OEM spare parts, special services and digital solutions for the power plant over the next five years. Cambodian O&M company, SchneiTec Co. Ltd., is responsible for operating the facility.