In 2020-2021, Myanmar’s total power consumption rate is expected to reach 4,531 megawatts as the power consumption rate is on the rise at an annual rate of 15 to 19 per cent, said Union Minister for Electricity and Energy Win Khaing.

In order to increase power production, the ministry plans to build LNG-fired power plants as the production of natural gas will decline gradually by 2021.

As the plateau period of Yadanar gas project will end in 2021, there will be a inevitable decline in the natural gas production. The ministry is carrying out natural gas explorations in the offshore blocks and oil explorations in onshore blocks.

For the extension of offshore and onshore blocks, the ministry will invite bidding tenders towards oil companies to dig new oil wells, the minister added.

“The maximum power consumption has reached about 3,189 mw. To satisfy the power demand, the ministry generates power from 17 hydro power plants and 15 thermal power plants”, he said earlier this year.

Currently, the country is producing 3,189 mw. It needs to generate an additional 1,342 mw to satisfy the power demand of 4,531 mw in 2020-2021.

The ministry plans to produce 439 mw from three plants in 2018, 750 mw from four plants in 2019, 260 mw from three plants in 2020, 971 mw from five plants in 2021 and 891 mw from five plants in 2022.

“Hydro power plant accounts for 15 per cent of the power production, HFO plants, for 18 per cent, gas-fired power plant, for 30 per cent, LNG plant, for 32 per cent and solar-powered plant, for five per cent, the minister added.