The Electricity Ministry tested new lines in its electric power distribution system this week that run from the Moulmein Electricity Branch in Mon State’s capital to the Chaungzone Electricity Branch on Bilu Kyun Island.
There are about 78 villages on Bilu Kyun Island, a land mass roughly the size of Singapore rising out of the Thanlwin River west of Moulmein and comprising the entirety of Chaungzone Township. Until recently, a diesel-powered generator in Chaungzone Town was the island’s sole source of electricity, but only 10 villages claimed access to the power and only for limited time periods.
“I am very happy to see that we are going to have electricity. Now, we can cook [with electric cooking appliances] and we can use [electric] fans when we get hot. It is not easy to use candles and locally generated electricity to light up our house,” said Daw San Myint, a resident of TaungU Village.
According to U Zaw Zaw Khet, a Chaungzone Township electricity department engineer, “It took 80 days to complete the project running 66 kV [kilovolts of] electricity from the Moulmein Capital to Chaungzone. On January 17, we tested the electricity line to the Chaungzone Electricity Branch [office]. On January 18, from the [Chaungzone] branch, we tested power to Kalaw, Dare, Kaw Mupoon and Kamar Kay villages.”
The engineer added that seven villages were currently receiving electricity and 15 more were expected to connect by the end of the month. Lines would eventually bring electricity to 36 villages on Bilu Kyun and local electricity committees would be established to distribute power to the remaining villages, he said.
“From the Chaungzone Electricity Branch Office, the power line splits into four towards Kawe, Kaw Mupoon, Muyit Kalay, and Ywa Lwat villages. For distribution of electric power from those four lines to individual homes, [the electricity department] already installed transformers and utility poles. The four lines carry 11 kV. The transformer in the local area will carry 400 volts. Beyond [this project], no additional government budget has been allocated, so residents are forming local electricity committees among themselves to be able to get electricity access. This second step [of forming committees] is already done. All that is left is connecting the power to households in the villages,” said Dr. Aung Naing Oo, a Mon State Hlutaw Representative.
The union and state governments allocated 46,000 million Kyats for the electricity project that launched in November 2015.
