According to a presidential order issued Aug. 12 by the Myanmar government, a commission will form to examine the 6,000-MW Myitsone hydropower project proposed for Kachin, Mynamar. Locally published reports indicate when complete, Yunnan China would receive much of the energy from the facility under the project’s original agreement.
The order for the commission was signed by the President Htin Kyaw last week.
The Myanmar Electrical Power Enterprise and the Agriculture and Irrigation Ministry initiated the “Irawaddy Myitsone Dam Multipurpose Water Utilization Project” in 2001, and the survey phase was initiated in 2003.
Concerns over environmental impacts and whether Myanmar would have first choice of how much power it would receive led to the project’s cancellation.
The project, which is a joint venture by China Power Investment Corp., Myanmar’s Ministry of Electric Power (MOEP) and special-purpose company, and Asia World Co., was suspended by the Thein Sein regime in September 2011.
The newly-signed order stipulates the commission must review whether the project is being carried out in accordance with international and local laws related to environmental conservation.
The first report from the commission is due to the Myanmar government by Nov. 11.
