Will increasing imports help ease the electricity supply shortages in Myanmar?

While increasing imports could help to ease the electricity supply shortages in Myanmar, it remains challenging under the current circumstances. Improving power sector financial viability and recovering customer confidence are critical for private sector capital mobilization to enhance the quality of electricity services.

What is happening in Myanmar's power sector?

Myanmar’s power sector has been severely afected by the ongoing political turmoil. The power sector has been spiralling downward since 2021 with prolonged electricity blackouts throughout the country. Electricity generation has been declining, resulting in a widening power supply–demand gap.

Does Myanmar have a power supply gap?

Myanmar’s power sector will likely continue to experience significant challenges. To sustain the current level of power supply would require adding 300-500 MW every year until 2030. Scenario analysis on the power supply–demand gap illustrates that available generating capacity is projected to not meet the growing demand.

Are diesel-based mini-grids a solution to Myanmar's power crisis?

Diesel-based mini-grids represented a total of 101 MW of installed capacity in 2020. The 84 percent of the business firms, which were surveyed under the Myanmar Firm Monitoring Survey, reported the use of captive diesel generators as a means of responding to unstable power supply and blackouts.

Does Myanmar have a transmission network expansion plan?

Transmission network expansion has not made much progress since February 2021. A five hundred kilovolt (500 kV) transmission line connecting Yangon and Mandalay was planned before the military takeover. This transmission line was meant to address the botleneck in electricity transmission between upper and lower Myanmar and enhance grid capacity.