TWO private Myanmar companies developing hydropower projects are planning to hire foreign consultant companies, said an energy expert close to one of the companies on November 20.

Asia World and Olympic Construction are the first two private, local firms to have been entrusted to build hydropower projects in Myanmar.

He said Olympic Construction is considering Swiss firm Colenco Power Engineering, Japanese Newjec Inc, Chinese Sinohydro Corp or another unnamed Chinese company.

Of these four, Colenco Power Engineering is already consulting on the Yeywa project in Mandalay Division; Sinohydro is involved in the construction of the US$1 billion Hutgyi project on the Thanlwin River; and Newjec Inc has worked on the Baluchaung 1, 2, 3 and Hutgyi projects since 1984.

However, he refused to say which company – or companies – Asia World is planning to hire, nor the value of any such deal, although he did say what its role would be.

“The foreign consultancy company will help us to draw-up a project design and monitor the overall construction,” he said.

Asia World is slated to build the Thaukyegeat hydropower project in Bago Division, which is expected to produce some 140 megawatts (MW) of electricity, while Olympic Construction will build the Baluchaung 3 project in Kayah State. This project is hoped to deliver a further 48MW.

“The two companies have been running feasibility studies and preparing to submit a proposal to the Myanmar Investment Committee,” he said.

When finished, the electricity generated by the two projects will be sold to the Ministry of Electric Power 2 for distribution through the national grid.