23 May

The solar power plant located on Minbu-An Road in Minbu Town of Magway Region will begin supplying 40MW of power to the national grid in July, according to Magway Region authorities.

Initially, the power plant will supply 20MW of power to the national grid in May. In the second stage from July, it will provide an additional 20MW of power to the grid.

“We plan to supply 40MW of power from the solar plant to the national grid, starting with 20MW of power from 30 May, and then adding 20MW more a-month-and-a-half later,” said U Myint Zaw, the Magway Region Minister for Environmental Conservation Natural Resources, Electricity, and Energy. The Green Earth Power (Myanmar) Co. Ltd and the government signed an MoU on 2 May, 2013 for the solar power plant project. They signed a power purchase agreement on 20 March, 2016. The company is producing power by installing solar panels over 700 acres of land.

“During the previous government’s term, the two parties agreed upon a rate of US$12.75 cent (equivalent to K190) per unit under the PPA. We will conduct further negotiations to reduce the rate for the upcoming power supply,” said U Myint Zaw.

Myanmar’s power sector has been suffering mounting losses for years, pegged at K400 billion per year.—Zeyatu(Magway) (Translated by Ei Myat Mon)