Weekly Eleven Saturday, 31 January 2015 18:20
Myanmar is planning to increase the electricity generated by coal-fired power plants by 2030 to meet 29.6 per cent of overall demand, sources say.
Environmentalist Dewi Thant Sin from Myanmar Green Network said: “The government only allows 4 per cent of current electricity consumed to come from coal energy. Now it is allowing suppliers to produce up to 29.6 per cent of the total. That’s why the electricity companies are trying to convince locals to accept their clean coal technology claiming it is the latest technique from Japan. They invited young people to visit Japan for a study tour of coal-fired power plants in Yokohama. Will that show the real facts? We need to know more.”
Hydroelectric power is meeting 74 per cent of total demand while gas turbines provide 23 per cent. The rest comes from coal-fired power plants, according to Second Myanmar Electricity Power Convention.
A total of 3,970 megawatts was consumed in 2014 with another 2,500 megawatts needed this year, according to Ministry of Electric Power.
At present, the government is looking at 10 coal-fired power projects although none has been finalised yet.
Two of them are in Myeik and Yay, Tanintharyi Region, three in Kungyangon, Htantabin and Kyauktan in Yangon Region and two are in Ngayokekaung and Bokepyin, Ayeyarwady Region. Others will be in Kengtung, Shan State, and Kalaywa, Sagaing.
