Burma building 13 hydropower plants - Xinhua

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May 18, 2009 (BBC Monitoring via COMTEX) -- [Xinhua "Roundup" by Feng Yingqiu: "Myanmar Works To Meet Growing Demand of Electricity"]

Yangon [Rangoon], May 18 (Xinhua) - Myanmar [Burma] has been working to meet its domestic demand of electricity, building up a total of 13 hydropower plants covering the power grids of the whole nation since 1988 when the present government took office.


Installed generating capacity of these established power plants now accounts for only 3 per cent of that of the whole country, said the editorial of Monday's official newspaper New Light of Myanmar.

On completion of other 35 ongoing hydropower projects, the editorial predicts that Myanmar will be able to fulfil domestic electricity demand in the future.



The newly-inaugurated hydropower plant, Shweli-1, on last Saturday represented one of the country's latest achievement in the aspects and the production of the plant is seen as being able to satisfy the nation's power demand to an extent.

Claimed as the biggest power plant of its kind so far, the Shweli-1, located near at Mantat Village, 27.2 km southwest of Namkham, northern part of Shan state, possesses an installed generating capacity of 600 megawatts (mw) which can produce 4.022 billion kilowatt-hour (kwh) yearly.

Shweli-1 also stands one of the three large-scale hydropower projects being implemented along the Shweli River.

Originating in China's southwestern Yunnan Province, the Shweli River winds its way around Muse and Namkham and then flows into Myanmar's Ayeyawaddy River.

The completed project reflects not only friendship between Myanmar and China but also mutual cooperation between the two countries, the editorial appraised.

In the very near future, another power plant, Yeywa, which is bigger than Shweli-1, is expected to emerge.

Up to now, all the hydropower stations across the country can generate more than 1,400 mw of electricity and the 35 ongoing projects could in the future add 32,900 mw or 79 per cent to its installed capacity.

These projects lie along the rivers of Ayeyawaddy, Chindwin, Sittoung and Thanlwin which are blessed with lots of water resources. Along the Ayeyawaddy basin are Yeywa, Shweli, Zawgyi and Mone creek projects, the editorial disclosed.

Meanwhile, experts estimated that with the country's total available water resources, up to 43,400 mw of the capacity could be produced.

Although Myanmar does not have enough electricity at present, it will in not-too-distant future, be able to fulfil its domestic demand, the editorial anticipated. With change in people's living condition and with the growing number of industries, the consumption of electricity across Myanmar has significantly increased year after year, calling for more efforts in the sector for national development and people are urged on their part to help develop the national economy by improving their business.

Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 0412 gmt 18 May 09