A project to construct a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant in Mon State’s Thaton Town was finalized at a contract signing between the Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise (MEPE) and China Engineering Energy Group (CEEC) in Nay Pyi Taw on January 26.
The Union Minister for Electric Power, U Khine Maung Soe, said at the signing ceremony that the new CCGT power plant, with capacity for 119-megawatt production, would meet the growing electricity demands in state and regional development, according to event attendees.
“The union government is handling this project directly, so I do not know the details. But, as far as I know the electricity produced by the power plant there will be distributed mainly in Mon State,” said Nai Layih Aung, Mon State’s Electricity Minister, in an interview with MNA.
The Minister added that the three gas turbine stations currently operating in Thaton are out-of-date and would be shut down once the new power plant is built in their place.
To fund the project, the Ministry of Electric Power will receive International Development Association (IDA) loans from the World Bank.
According to Myanma Ahlin, a state-run daily newspaper, the last Tuesday’s event included the World Bank’s Country Manager, Mr. Abdoulaye Seck, and representatives from the China Embassy and the signatory companies. MEPE’s Managing Director and CEEC’s Vice President signed the contract.
