Photo 1. (From left to right) Dr. Santisouk Phimphachanh, Director General of the Department of Policy, Planning Development, and Evaluation, Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) of Lao PDR; Viengthong Sackdara, PhD, Deputy Managing Director of EDL; Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood, Executive Director of ACE; Dr. Praing Chulasa, Managing Director of EDC; and H.E. Victor Jona, Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and Senior Official on Energy (SOE) of Cambodia, during the official signing ceremony.
The ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), together with Electricité du Cambodge (EDC) and Electricité du Laos (EDL), held the Joint Study Framework (JSF) Signing Ceremony and Trilateral Meeting for the Development of the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) Feasibility Study on the cross-border interconnection between Cambodia and Lao PDR on 25 May 2026 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Photo 2. Participants of the JSF Signing Ceremony.
The event was conducted in-person in Phnom Penh in recognition of Cambodia’s role as one of the key partners under the APG Project Preparation Facility (APG PPF) programme and as the host of the meeting. The one-day event was divided into two main sessions consisting of the JSF Signing Ceremony and the Cambodia–Lao PDR–ACE Trilateral Meeting jointly held with the 1st Steering Committee Meeting in the morning, followed by the 1st Working Committee Meeting in the afternoon.
The event brought together representatives from ACE, EDC, EDL, the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) of Cambodia, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) of Lao PDR, the World Bank, and other relevant stakeholders to formalize the Joint Study Framework and discuss the next steps for the implementation of the feasibility study under the ASEAN Power Grid initiative. The programme began with the Joint Study Framework Signing Ceremony, which marked an important step in advancing regional energy cooperation and cross-border interconnection between Cambodia and Lao PDR.
Photo 2. Dr Praing Chulasa, Managing Director of EDC, delivering opening remarks.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Praing Chulasa, Managing Director of EDC, welcomed all delegates and highlighted the importance of the initiative in strengthening cooperation between both countries. He shared Cambodia’s ongoing efforts in sustainable energy development, including Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects, and emphasized the importance of regional interconnection in supporting system reliability and stability. He also expressed appreciation to the World Bank for supporting the APG-PPF initiative and reaffirmed EDC’s commitment to supporting the study and future project development.
Photo 3. Viengthong Sackdara, Deputy Managing Director of EDL, delivering opening remarks.
Viengthong Sackdara, Deputy Managing Director of EDL, highlighted that the initiative reflected the readiness of Cambodia and Lao PDR to further strengthen regional power interconnection. He noted that the feasibility study would support not only technical assessments but also the long-term development interests of both countries and regional energy integration efforts.
Photo 4. Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood, Executive Director of ACE, delivering opening remarks.
Dato’ Ir. Ts. Razib Dawood, Executive Director of ACE, emphasised that the signing ceremony represented a shared commitment among ASEAN Member States to strengthen regional energy cooperation through the ASEAN Power Grid. He highlighted that APG plays an important role in supporting regional energy security, improving economic efficiency, and strengthening solidarity among ASEAN Member States through energy and resource sharing. He also noted that the feasibility study would address technical, commercial, and policy-related considerations to identify practical implementation pathways for the project.
Photo 5. Claudia Ines Vasquez Suarez, Program Leader for Infrastructure and Lead Energy Specialist, World Bank, delivering opening remarks.
Representing the World Bank, Claudia Ines Vasquez Suarez, Program Leader for Infrastructure and Lead Energy Specialist, highlighted that the JSF marked the transition from regional planning into project preparation and implementation. She emphasised the importance of regional interconnection in improving energy reliability, affordability, and sustainability across Southeast Asia and reaffirmed the World Bank’s continued support for the initiative.
Photo 6. Dr. Santisouk Phimphachanh, Director General of the Department of Policy, Planning Development, and Evaluation, Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) of Lao PDR (left) and H.E. Victor Jona, Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) of Cambodia (right).
Further remarks were delivered by Dr. Santisouk Phimphachanh, Director General of the Department of Policy, Planning Development, and Evaluation, Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MOIC) of Lao PDR, and H.E. Victor Jona, Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) of Cambodia. Both speakers reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to strengthening regional energy connectivity and supporting ASEAN’s sustainable energy transition agenda.
Photo 7. The Cambodia-Lao PDR-ACE Trilateral Meeting and 1st Steering Committee Meeting in session.
Following the signing ceremony, the Cambodia–Lao PDR–ACE Trilateral Meeting and the 1st Steering Committee Meeting were convened as the morning session of the programme. The meeting was led by senior representatives from MME Cambodia and MOIC Lao PDR to provide strategic direction for the implementation of the APG Feasibility Study under the APG-PPF framework. During the session, ACE presented the progress of the APG Project Preparation Facility under the World Bank-funded MPA ASET Phase 1 programme and shared updates on the development of the Joint Study Framework. ACE also presented the proposed governance structure for the study, including the establishment of the Steering Committee and Working Committee.
Photo 8. Prihastya Wiratama, Project Manager of ASEAN Interconnection Projects, presenting during the meeting.
The meeting discussed the roles of Steering Committee in chairing and providing high-level guidance in the feasibility study. All parties also pointed out the function of ACE for coordination during the course of study as well as ensuring alignment with regional power-related initiatives. Furthermore, the meeting also covered the committee structure, reporting arrangements and the overview of the feasibility study timeline.
Representatives from Lao PDR and Cambodia emphasised the importance of strengthening coordination and regulatory alignment by including the relevant governmental agencies and bodies into the communication. The meeting also continued with a presentation from the World Bank on financing support and financing instruments available for ASEAN Power Grid projects. The presentation highlighted several financing mechanisms from the International Development Association (IDA), Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and International Finance Corporation (IFC), which could support the future implementation of regional interconnection projects.
Photo 9. Participants of the First Working Committee Meeting.
The meeting continued with the First Working Committee Meeting attended by technical working representatives of each entity. It discussed the technical progress to select the interconnection line, the detailed workplan and timeline, and the way forward. The meeting also emphasised the importance of reporting the study’s progress to ASEAN regional energy and power-related meetings.
The whole-day event concluded with ACE reaffirming its commitment as the APG Secretariat to support the implementation of the feasibility study, including coordination and technical support. Participants also expressed appreciation for the constructive discussions and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening regional collaboration toward the realization of the ASEAN Power Grid vision.
