An engineer watching the activities at Yeywa Hydro power project in Mandalay division.

HYDROPOWER projects are widely considered to be a path of sustainable economic development while meeting the demands of electricity.

The Myanmar government has set a target to meet all its power demands through hydropower. Accordingly, a number of small, medium- and large-size hydropower projects have been completed, are being constructed or are in planning.

The first of six “five year plans” was introduced in 2001 with the aim of meeting both local electricity demand and export electricity to neighbouring countries.

Joint-venture hydropower projects are attractive because not only do they earn foreign exchange revenue annually over the concession period but also increase local power capacity. All the joint-venture agreements entitle Myanmar to 10-15 percent of annual electricity generation from the power stations free of charge.

Sixteen hydropower projects are planned as part of the second five-year stage (2006-2010). Five of these were completed by 2007, with the remaining 11 projects still under construction.

Ministry of Electric Power (1) figures show that 10 hydropower projects with capacities ranging from 30 to 790 megawatts (MW) are expected to be completed in the next three years.

The total capacity of hydropower projects in Myanmar is currently about 1457MW , while an additional 245MW will be available by the end of 2008 when four more hydropower projects come online.

Figures show that Myanmar will get an additional 1103MW in 2009 and 340MW in 2010.

The four hydropower projects that are expected to finish by the end of 2008 are Kun (60MW), Phyu (40MW), Shwekyin (75MW) and Kyee-on Kyee-wa (70MW).
By the beginning of 2010, five more hydropower projects are expected to be completed, including Yeywa (790MW), Thahtay (102 MW), Upper Paunglaung (140MW), Buywa (41MW) and Myo Gyi (30MW).

In 2010 the Manipur project will come online, improving the nation’s electricity capacity by 340MW.

In addition to the implemented projects, the government plans to build 11 additional medium and large hydropower projects, some of which will be used to export electricity to neighbouring countries.

The 11 hydropower projects will generate 3120MW and will be completed between 2011 and 2015.

According to estimates made by the World Bank in 1995, Myanmar possesses theoretical power potential of 108,000MW. The ministry has so far identified and surveyed 266 potential hydropower sites in 12 states and divisions with an estimated output of 39,720MW.

As Myanmar does not possess the capabilities to exploit all the identified hydropower resources, the government has signed joint- venture agreements with neighbouring countries like Thailand, China and Bangladesh for the harnessing and exporting of hydroelectricity.

In July 1997, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between Thailand and Myanmar for the purchase of 1500MW of electricity from Myanmar by 2010.

In May 2005, another MOU was signed for the development of hydropower projects in Thanlwin and the Tanintharyi River basin.

Agreements were also signed with the Chinese State Power Corporation to develop two hydropower stations located near the China-Myanmar border.

Apart from China and Thailand, Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an MOU in July 2007 to build hydropower projects in Rakhine State and subsequently export electricity to Bangladesh.