Myanmar will need about 170 megawatts of electricity to provide power to industrial zones in the coming summer season, said Minister for Electric Power Khin Maung Soe.
The minister added that more than US$ 160 million (Ks 155.83 billion) is required to supply power for projects in industrial zones.
In the summer season this year, the power demand is over 370 MW and the Ministry of Electric Power is providing electricity to industrial zones only part time because the ministry wants the public to enjoy a 24-hour electricity supply.
That is why the ministry temporally suspended some state-owned factories running with natural gas.
“The electricity had been switched off for about 20 days last summer because of the power shortage. This summer, we provided 24-hour electricity supply to the public for only six months. Although we don’t want to cut out the electricity to industrial zones, we might have to do it. We need to discuss how to provide regular, 24-hour power supply to the public in the coming summer,” the EP minister said.
At present, industrialists are in discussions with private power supply companies on the matter of collecting power bills of between Ks 120 to Ks 150 per unit.
“If electricity can be enjoyed on a 24-hour basis, the entrepreneurs don’t care about the power bill increase,” said one industrial zone chairperson.
In Myanmar, the government is now spending US$ 1 million on production costs to generate 1 MW of electricity. It is spending an additional US$ one million to provide 24-hour electricity for the public.
“The Ministry of Electricity is running at a loss by selling the electricity at the current price. We need a lot of money to provide electricity. More than US$ 160 million will be needed to supply power to industrial zones in the coming summer. The everyday expenditure has increased because the power demand is growing,” said the EP minister.
Source: ELEVEN Myanmar
