Residents from Kengtong and Meiktila may have electricity from the cross-border power line project between Myanmar and Laos by 2024 and 2026 respectively, said U Thaung Han, Union Minister for Electric Power.
He said during the signing ceremonies of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Electric Power and the Ministry of Energy and Mines of the Lao People's Democratic Republic on cooperation in the Myanmar-Lao electricity sector, and the feasibility study of the cross-border power line project Consortium of PISASAI Energy and Mine Investment Pte. Ltd and the notice to proceed which is given to Primus Sapphire Power, on April 3.
During the five-year period of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister General Tin Aung San on January 15, 2018, Consortium of PISASAI Energy and Mine Investment Pte. Ltd. and Primus Sapphire Power Company Limited, and have been able to make significant business progress for the project to connect the two power networks and be able to transmit and sell electricity. The two companies as well as governments need to cooperate closely in purchasing and selling electricity between the two countries, he said.
They will cooperate in development projects by extending the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the Myanmar-Laos electricity sector for another five years, and conducting a feasibility study on projects to transmit electricity between the two countries up to 600 megawatts, and Mekong River hydropower projects. By continuing to carry out the various stages of the project, the cross-border power line project between the two countries will be reached to Kengtong by 2024 and Meiktila by 2026, which will greatly contribute to the development of Myanmar's electricity sector, he said.
Further, Lao People's Democratic Republic Minister of Energy and Mines Mr. Daovong Phonekeo said that from the 5th Joint Working Committee (JWC) meeting and 6th Joint Working Committee (JWC) meeting held in Vientiane, Laos, they agreed to extend the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the Myanmar-Lao electricity sector for another five years. The memorandum of understanding includes cross-country power line project and hydropower cooperation matters, he said. Through close cooperation in the electricity sector between the two countries, the process of friendship and multi-sector cooperation will continue to be accelerated, he said.
Then, both ministers signed and exchanged the MoU Amendment on cooperation in the Myanmar-Laos electricity sector. Next, U Soe Myint, Director General of the Union Minister's Office of the Ministry for Electric Power, Mr. Shen DECAI, Deputy Managing Director of PISASAI Energy and Mine Investment Pte. Ltd and U Kyaw Hla Win, Managing Director of Primus Sapphire Power Company Limited signed and exchanged the Notice to Proceed (NTP).
