25 February

The China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI) facilitated a workshop on hydropower electric generation technology at the InterContinental Hotel in Kunming, China on 21 February, as part of the second China-Myanmar Economic Corridor Forum.

Participants discussed under the topic: ‘Global Hydropower Development Trends and Deepening China-Myanmar Power Cooperation’.

Delegations led by U Soe Win, Union Minister for Planning and Finance, and China-Myanmar Economic Corridor representatives attended the workshop.

Experts discussed developing the hydropower technology of Myanmar and the world, secure construction of dams and dykes, conducting surveys on regions lying on earthquake faults in Myanmar, and environmental conservation relating to hydropower generation.

Currently, the totality of Myanmar can produce 5,642 Megawatts and 57.7 per cent of it is derived from hydropower. The electric power sector and economy of Myanmar recently made improvements in the past few years. The electric power sector is indispensable for developing Myanmar’s economy and for achieving national electrification by 2030.

Myanmar has abundant resources for generating sources of power, especially through hydropower. The World Bank estimates Myanmar’s hydropower sector generates 3,2555 Megawatts, and it contributes to 7 per cent of economic development. As a result, Myanmar’s naturally abundant resources enable it to produce hydroelectricity that will most benefit socioeconomic development, according to discussions made at the workshop.—MNA

(Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)