Work on a large liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plant in Mee Lin Gyaing, Ayeyarwady Region is expected to begin this year, officials of one of the companies involved with the project have told the Myanmar Times.
The Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MOEE) originally approved the project, along with one in Kan Pauk in Tanintharyi Region, and another in Ahlone in Yangon Region, in 2018. The projects, once completed, were expected to generate some 3,000 megawatts of power from imported LNG.
During the visit by China’s President Xi Jinping to Myanmar last weekend, the governments of both countries agreed to hasten negotiations on the LNG power plant project in Mee Lin Gyaing.
During the visit, Yunnan Provincial Energy Investment Group, Union Resources and Engineering Co Ltd, Zhefu Holding Group, and Myanmar’s Supreme Trading Co Ltd signed agreements to accelerate the Mee Lin Gyaing project.
“The next stage is to sign a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Ministry of Electricity and Energy, which we hope to do before June. Construction can start soon after the PPA is signed so we expect to begin in July 2020,’’ U Htu Htu Aung said.
The US$2.6 billion LNG power plant in Mee Lin Gyaing is expected to generate 1390MW of electricity once it is completed and will become one of the largest power projects in Myanmar.
The will include a power plant, LNG terminal and distribution channels.
The project is estimated to generate power starting from 2023, and will fulfill the power needs in Ayeyarwaddy as well as other states and regions.
