Deputy Minister for Electricity and Energy U Aye Kyaw has said that the Ministry plans to resume implementation of the Manipur Hydropower Project in Kale Township, Kale District, Sagaing Region, once the area becomes peaceful and stable, provided there are companies willing to participate under a joint venture (JV) or build-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangement.

He made the remarks while responding to a question raised by MP U Thein Hlaing of No. 7 Amyotha Hluttaw Constituency in Sagaing Region during the Amyotha Hluttaw session held on July 16. The lawmaker asked whether there were plans to continue the Manipur Hydropower Project and, if so, when implementation would resume.

The Deputy Minister said that if the project is implemented through private investment, including foreign investment, the government would be able to allocate Union budget funds and foreign exchange resources to other priority areas. If no private investor comes forward, the ministry will seek policy approval from the government to continue the project using Union budget funding.

He noted that the project also faces several technical challenges, including the presence of fault lines, the area's seismic history, and difficult terrain. As the project site lies within a strong earthquake zone, the dam and related hydropower infrastructure will require redesigned, earthquake-resistant engineering and updated structural calculations.

U Aye Kyaw said the Manipur Hydropower Project is a multipurpose project that should be pursued not only to generate electricity but also to provide irrigation water for agricultural land. He added that the project would help mitigate annual flooding along the Myittha River basin and the Chindwin River. He reiterated that once peace and stability are restored across the entire project area, the government plans to proceed with the project if companies are interested in developing it under a JV or BOT scheme.