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According to a Reuters report, the Myitsone dam, a $3.6 billion hydroelectric project suspended since 2011 in Myanmar, could be completed in about eight years by the country’s new government. The project, planned for the Kachin state, has returned to the center of discussions following Min Aung Hlaing’s visit to China.
Myitsone Dam would return after suspension started in 2011
The government of Myanmar is working to resume the construction of the Myitsone dam, in the north of the country, in a region marked by civil war and strong political dispute.
Two sources with knowledge of the statements by Khet Htein Nan, head of the Kachin state administration, stated in a Reuters article that the project could be completed in approximately eight years.
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The statements came after Min Aung Hlaing, head of the military junta who became president, returned from a visit to China last month. The resumption of the project was one of the topics discussed during the trip.
Htet Paing Htoo, a member of the Kachin state parliament, told Reuters that the works should start soon.
According to him, an official statement will be released, and the president himself has already stated that activities will be resumed.
The project was suspended in 2011, after a rare public outcry against the construction. The suspension displeased China, which has been interested in the implementation of the hydroelectric plant for years.
6 GW Dam could supply more than half of the electricity demand
The Myitsone dam would have a capacity of 6 gigawatts. This volume would place the project among the largest hydroelectric projects in Southeast Asia.
Even so, the capacity would be below plants like the Three Gorges Dam in China, which has an installed capacity of 22.5 GW.
A spokesperson for the presidential office stated that the project could provide more than half of the 10 GW of energy needed for Myanmar, a country facing severe electricity shortages.
The original plan was to export 90% of the generated energy to China. Reuters reported that it could not determine if this initial agreement was renegotiated.
Besides the energy scale, the cost also gained weight in the discussion. The project was originally estimated at $3.6 billion, but its revitalization could reach $11.5 billion.
This estimate considers the latest average cost from the International Renewable Energy Agency for hydroelectric projects in Asia, outside China and India, of $1,914 per kilowatt.
Flooding, Displacements, and Seismic Risk Remain at the Center of the Dispute
The possible resumption occurs amid environmental and social concerns. One of the main criticisms involves the flooding of an area approximately the size of Singapore.
Local communities have also expressed concern about flooding and displacements. Spokesperson Khaing Khaing Soe said the government is evaluating these issues in detail.
According to her, authorities are analyzing the extent of the benefits compared to the negative impacts to try to find a balance.
Another sensitive point is the seismic risk. A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit central Myanmar last March and killed thousands of people, increasing concern about a large dam in a seismically active region.
The structure would be 152 meters high and extend 152 meters at the confluence of the Mali and Nmai rivers.
In a meeting held on June 23, Khet Htein Nan stated, according to a source, that China would be ready to tackle environmental problems with new technologies.
Government seeks support, but resistance from civil groups continues
Internal discussions about the dam took place in Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin state, about 37 km from the planned construction site.
A third source stated that, in a meeting on June 22, the chief minister said that the Myitsone Project should be considered a “historic achievement.”
The resumption effort occurs during the civil war triggered by the 2021 coup, when the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize winner and also opposed to the dam.
After the visit of former deputy military chief Soe Win to Myitkyina in December, at least 26 public meetings in Kachin state supported the project, according to two members of a government-backed committee.
One of them, Naw Khon, said the goal is to provide accurate information to the public and allow people to make their own decisions.
Opposition, however, remains active. On May 5, 49 civil society groups called for the total halt of the project.
In a joint statement, they stated that the project offers no benefit to the public and would cause destruction, loss of lives, homes, and properties.
This article was prepared based on information from Reuters, with data, numbers, and statements preserved as per the consulted material.
