US, Japanese firms to build power plants in Myanmar

Myanmar plans to build more power plants in the country with companies from the US, Japan and South Korea in an effort to address the electricity shortage, state media reported.

The companies with which Myanmar's ministry of electric power will cooperate in building power plants are General Electric Co. and Caterpillar Co. of the US, J Power Co. of Japan and BKB Co. of South Korea, Xinhua reported citing the New light of Myanmar daily, published by the country's interior ministry.

The report did not disclose which projects will be implemented with the US companies.

It said a 600 MW coal-fired power plant near Yangon will be built on a joint venture with the Japanese firm, while another 500 MW gas-fired power plant will be carried out in collaboration with the South Korean company.

Currently, there are 18 hydropower, one coal-fired and 10 gas-fired power stations -- totalling 29 -- in Myanmar, which generate a maximum of 1,610 MW in the monsoon season and 1,340 MW in summer.

Consumption in monsoon is 1,560 MW, less than the production and is enough for distribution, but it is 1,850 MW in summer, far exceeding the production, the ministry said.

The power shortage in summer has forced "alternative distribution" to the public, factories, workshops and businesses in three groups, at an interval of six hours.