The opening ceremony of Thanlyin Refinery (Phase I), under the Ministry of Electric Power and Energy, was held on October 14, with President U Min Aung Hlaing attending, officially inaugurating the facility and delivering an address.

In his guidance on increasing domestic fuel production, ensuring an adequate supply of crude oil feedstock, reducing dependence on foreign energy and achieving long-term energy security, the President emphasized the need to balance feedstock availability, production capacity, product quality and economic returns, while continuously monitoring and maintaining refinery operations. He also called for attracting new investments and adopting modern technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), to increase domestic oil production, as well as continuing negotiations to secure crude oil supplies through the Southeast Asian crude oil pipeline.

He further stressed the need to continue implementing the refinery expansion project to produce high-quality fuels and petrochemical products, meet domestic demand for petrol and diesel, increase local fuel production to reduce imports and foreign currency expenditure, and effectively manage costs from production to distribution. He also called for integrating renewable energy sources to promote energy conservation, improving production efficiency through digital, automation and AI technologies, and developing domestic technical experts.

In addition, the President emphasized preventive measures against fires and other emergencies, regular maintenance of machinery and compliance with environmental standards in refinery operations. He urged relevant officials to work towards the national goal of achieving energy sufficiency and, ultimately, energy independence to ensure long-term energy security.