Natural Gas Plants Will Help Meet Rising Electricity Demands

By Moe Moe 16 February 2018

NAYPYITAW — The Ministry of Electricity and Energy will establish four liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plants within the next three years, capable of generating 3,111 megawatts of electricity in total per year.

“A survey has yet to be done regarding piping natural gas,” deputy permanent secretary U Soe Myint of the ministry told The Irrawaddy.

The four LNG power plants will be the first of their kind in Myanmar including Kan Pauk project in Tanintharyi Region, Mee Laung Kyaing project in Irrawaddy Region, Ahlone project in Yangon Region, and Kyaukphyu project in Rakhine State, according to the ministry.

Kan Pauk project will be able to produce 1,230 megawatts, Mee Laung Kyaing project, 1,390 megawatts, Ahlone project, 356 megawatts, and Kyaukphyu project, 135 megawatts.

Total & Siemens A.G, Zhefu & Supreme Co, TTCL Public Co, and Sinophydro & Supreme Co have won the contract to implement the projects.

“Those four companies made these proposals long ago. We cannot opt for hydropower projects if we want to meet urgent demand,” said U Soe Myint.

“Factories can do nothing without electricity. Electricity is produced in upper Myanmar but used by lower Myanmar. So, it would be the best if production is high where consumption is high,” said U Aye Thaung, chairman of Shwe Lin Pan Industrial Zone.

U Aye Thaung suggested that the government should increase its electricity production every year since electricity consumption has also increased year to year.

Myanmar currently produces more than 3,000 megawatts of electricity yearly from 27 hydropower plants, 22 gas-fired power plants, and one coal-fired power plant, and only 37.85 percent of households have access to electricity. The four proposed LNG power plants will therefore double the electricity production of the country.

Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko.