Ayeyarwady Maykha/ Malikha Dams
The Myanmar Ministry of Electric Power (MEPE) signed an agreement with China Power Investment Corporation in May 2007 for the implementation of seven large dams along the Ayeyarwady, Maykha and Malikha Rivers in Kachin State. Collectively the dams will have an installed capacity of 17,259 megawatts (MW).
Investment is estimated to be US$3.6 billion. However, in September 2011, President Thein Sein announced a suspension of the Myitsone Dam as 'the will of the people' due to outstanding environemntal concerns. Construction of the Dam began in 2009 and projected revenue generated by the dam was estimated to range between $558-597million a year. China has said if the Dam is cancelled then Myanmar must pay compensation.
Project List throughout the Country
Tamanthi Dam
The government signed an MOU with India’s National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) in 2004 to develop the Tamanthi dam on the Chindwin River in western Sagaing Region. A new agreement was signed in 2008, forming a joint venture to develop Tamanthi as well as Shwesayay dams.
The dam will be 80 metres high, with an installed capacity of 1200 MW and an annual production of 6685 Gwh. The estimated cost of the Tamanthi dam is $3 billion. Eighty percent of the electricity will go to India, and the rest will power Monywa mining operations. Construction at the dam site began in 2007, but is subject to delays. A detailed project report (master plan) is being prepared by NHPC.
Tasang Dam
The Tasang dam is the biggest of five proposed dams along the Thanlwin River in Eastern Myanmar. In July 1996 Thailand signed an MOU with the Myanmar government.
Tasang dam is set to be 228 metres in height, with an installed capacity of 7110 MW and an annual production of 35,446 Gwh. When built it will be the highest dam in Southeast Asia, taller than China’s Three Gorges dam. Most of the electricity from the Tasang dam is intended for sale to Thailand. The initial estimated cost of the Tasang dam was $6 billion. However the actual costs are likely to be far higher.
Initially signed with Thailand’s MDX Group, China Gezhouba Group Co won a contract for initial dam construction in early 2007. In mid-2008, Sinohydro, China Southern Power Grid Co., and China Three Gorges Project Corporation signed an agreement for the development of the Thanlyin River Basin in Myanmar, including the Tasang dam.
Work on the dam has been stalled, and there has been little activity at the dam-site.
Yeywa Dam
The Myanmar government first announced plans for the Yeywa dam in late 2001. In 2004, MEPE signed an MOU with a consortium of Chinese companies to build the dam on the Myitnge River in Mandalay Division. It is one of the largest roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dams in the world.
The dam is 134 metres high with an installed capacity of 790 MW and an annual production of 3550 Gwh. MEPE signed an agreement with a consortium created by China International Trust & Investment Co (CITIC) and Sinohydro Corporation in 2004. The overall cost is estimated at $700m.
Construction was completed in 2010.
Lawpita Hydropower Project
Lawpita Hydropower Project in Kayah State was initiated in 1950 with a bilateral war reparation agreement between Japan and Myanmar. Lawpita was the first large-scale hydropower project in Myanmar. The project remains an important source of electricity for central Myanmar, representing 24percent of Myanmar’s total hydropower capacity.
Lawpita Hydropower Plant No 2 was the co untry’s first power station to become operational, completed in 1974. It has a capacity of 168 MW with six generators.
Construction of Plant No.1 began in 1986 and was completed in 1992. It has an installed capacity of 28 MW.
Dagwin Dam
The Dagwin, or Lower Thanlwin dam will serve as a pumped storage facility for the upriver Weigyi dam. Dagwin is estimated at 56 meters high, with an installed capacity of 792 MW.
Although the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has been involved in planning the Dagwin dam since the early 1980s, in April 2008, three companies from China signed a strategic cooperation agreement.The cost of building the Dagwin dam is estimated at $900m.
Dapeyin Dam
State-owned China Datang Company has agreements to build two dams on the Dapein River near the China border, involving state-owned Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise. The dams will have an installed capacity of 408 MW. Total cost is reportedly 108 million Yuan. ninety percent of the electricity will be sold to China.
Construction of the Debeyin 1 hydropower station began on December 19, 2007 and was completed and started distributing electricity in February 2011. Work continues on Dam 2.
Upper and Lower Paunglaung Dams
In March 2005, MEPE, along with financial and construction support from Chinese companies, completed the Lower Paunglaung dam on the Paunglaung River. The dam is 131 metres in height and an installed capacity of 280 MW.
The Upper Paunglaung dam is under construction and is expected to be completed in 2012. The dam will be 103 metres high, with installed capacity of 140 MW and an annual production of 454 Gwh (million kilowatt hours yearly).
Both dams provide power for Myanmar’s capital, Nay Pyi Taw.
Shweli Dams
Myanmar’s Ministry of Electric Power signed its first Build-Operate-Transfer agreement with China for a hydropower dam on the Shweli River, a tributary of the Ayeyarwady, in northern Shan State in 2006. Two additional dams are planned downstream.
The dams will have a total installed capacity of 1440 MW. Investment could reach $1.4 billion. Electricity will be transmitted to China and government-run mining operations in Myanmar.
The project is a joint venture between MEPE and Yunnan Joint Power Development Company.
Ywathit Dam
In January 2010, the Chinese state-owned Datang Corporation signed an MOU with the Myanmar government to build three dams in Kayah State, including a 600 MW dam on the mainstream Thanlwin at Ywathit, and two others on its tributaries, the Pawn and Thabet rivers. Ywathit dam will have an installed capacity of 600 MW and investment is estimated to reach $600m.
Weigyi Dam
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) signed an MOU with Myanmar on December 9, 2005 for the development of Weigyi to provide electricity for Thailand. The dam will be 168 metres high and an installed capacity of between 4540 and 5600 MW. Construction costs are estimated at $3 billion. Most of the electricity from the Weigyi dam is intended for sale to Thailand.
Upper Thanlwin Dam (Kunlong)
In April 2007, two Chinese companies, Hanergy Holding Group Company and Gold Water Resources Company Limited, signed an MOU with the Myanmar government for the Upper Thanlwin dam in northern Shan State. Installed capacity will be 2400 MW.
The two sides signed the memorandum of agreement in Nay Pyi Taw in February 2010.
The project is under implementation.
Hatgyi Dam
Myanmar’s Ministry of Electric Power, EGAT, and China’s Sinohydro signed an agreement in 2006 for the joint implementation of the Hatgyi dam on the Thanlwin River in Karen State.
The dam will be 33 metres high, have an installed capacity of 1200 MW and an annual production of 7335 Gwh. The estimated cost of building the Hatgyi dam is $1 billion. Most of the electricity from the dam is intended for sale to Thailand.
Thailand is pushing for it to be the first of the dams built on the Thanlwin River. Once built, it will pave the way for the building of the other larger dams.
Construction of the Hatgyi dam has begun. Commercial distribution of power was projected to begin in 2013-2014, however, EGAT has announced it will be 2019.
Original Link Myanmar Times