Baluchaung No.1 hydropower plant in Kayah State and Sedawgyi Power Plant in Mandalay Region will be renovated with loans of ¥10.787 billion yen from the Japanese government

Baluchaung No.1 Hydropower Plant in Kayah State, and Sedawgi Power Plant in Mandalay Region will be renovated using ¥10.787 billion yen from Japanese Government.

Baluchaung No.1 Hydropower Plant was built on the banks of Baluchaung Creek, 10 miles south east of Loikaw in Kayah State.

A joint venture between NEWJEC Inc. and Nippon Co., Ltd. signed a contract with the Ministry of Electricity and Energy for consulting services to renovate the two hydropower plants on May 9.

“Both of the plants have been operating for over 25 years under the ministry. In that time there hasn’t been a large scale renovation, so naturally this leads to mechanical malfunctions and lowered capacity. Therefore we decided to renovate,” U Win Khaing, Union Minister of the Minister of Electricity and Energy said.

The loan for the project is defined as an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan, and the renovation will be completed by the 2024/25 Fiscal Year, and is slated to start during the 2018/19 Fiscal Year.

The renovation will extend the lifespans of the two plants for the next 25 years enabling them to produce additional 2 million kilowatt hours.

Baluchaung No.1 Hydropower Plant was built in 1987 with an ODA loan from Japan, and started operating in 1992. The Sedawgyi Hydropower Plant was built in 1984 with a loan from the Asia Development Bank, and started operating in 1989.

Electricity from Baluchaung No.1 Hydropower Plant is sent to the No. 2 Hydropower Plant through a 132 kV grid. Electricity is then sent to various locations: to Yangon via a 230 kV power grid; Mandalay via two 132 kV power grids; Loikaw, Moebyae, Phe Khon, Demawsoe, Pharusoe, Phasaung and Bawlakhe via 33 KV power grid; and Lawpita area and Baluchaung No.3 Hydropower Station via a 11 kV power grid.

(Myanmar Business Today: https://www.mmbiztoday.com/articles/baluchaung-no1-hydropower-plant-be-renovated-japanese-loan )

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