Electricity supply in Myanmar's Yangon city has gradually improved to nearly normal since late July with round-the-clock distribution of electricity after experiencing years of abnormal and restricted power supply, according to the electric power authorities.

Previously, the restricted electricity supply at three duration of time a day alternately in the city had caused much inconvenience to the consumers.

The resumption of almost normal electricity supply in all townships as well as in industrial zones in Yangon is mainly due to the functioning in full capacity of two hydropower plants -- Paunglaung and Mone, official media said.

The Paunglaung hydropower plant, which lies in Nay Pyi Taw's Pyinmana, has a capacity of 280 mw, while the Mone, which is located in Magway division, has a capacity of 75 mw.

Myanmar's electric power authorities had strived to improve electric power supply to Yangon, the previous capital city, by ensuring 24-hour a day electricity supply in the wake of years of power shortage.

The Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise (MEPE), which is the main electricity supplier, said it is supplying 360 mw of electricity to Yangon daily and 860 mw to other parts of the country.

The MEPE also attributed the possible increase of power supply in Yangon to the move of government ministries to the new capital of Nay Pyi Taw since last November, which resulted in reducing power consumption by the ministry offices in Yangon and making possible increased supply to residential areas as well as industrial zones.

Meanwhile, the MEPE has raised the electricity charge prices beginning last May, advising the country's people to use electricity more efficiently and keep away from overuse of it.

The newly-adjusted uniform electricity prices are 25 Kyats (0. 02 US dollar) per unit for consumers using for home-lighting purpose, which is up from previous prices differing from 2.5 Kyats to 25 Kyats per 1 to 200 units.

However, electricity charges for those using for business purpose double per unit, the authorities revealed.

The old system of collecting electricity charge had remained in force for seven years since May 1999 until April 2006.

The authorities attributed the change of rate in collecting electricity charge to the adoption of the market-oriented economy which was introduced since 1989.

According to official statistics, before 1988, there were 24 power plants in Myanmar with a total capacity of 568.45 mw, in which 14 are hydropower ones with 228.45 mw, and after 1988, Myanmar has built 39 new power plants with a total capacity of 1, 071 mw, in which 30 are hydropower ones with a capacity of 517.22 mw.

Myanmar is currently implementing 16 hydropower projects in the country in order to increase electricity supply. With a total capacity of over 1,778 megawatts, these projects in Mandalay, Bago, Shan, Kayin and Rakhine divisions and states include Yeywa (790 mw) , Kunchaung (60 mw), Pyuchaung (40 mw), Khabaung (30 mw), Yenwe ( 25 mw), Shwegyin (75 mw), Shweli (600 mw), Kengtawng (54 mw) and Thahtay (102 mw), the authorities said.

Plans are underway to build 15 more hydropower plants to get 4, 346 mw more, according to the authorities which outlined that these projected plants include Kawgata (160 mw), Bilin (280 mw), Hatkyi (600 mw), Shwesayay (660 mw), Manipura (380 mw), Tanintharyi (600 mw), Shweli-1 (150 mw), Shweli-2 (500 mw) and Maykha (800 mw).

According to government statistics, Myanmar had a total of over 1,775 mw of installed generating capacity of electric power as of October 2005, up from 706.82 mw in 1988. The hydropower ones account for 35 percent, while the gas-fired ones take 50 percent of the country's total capacity.

Other latest official statistics show that Myanmar's electric power generation was registered at 6.064 billion kilowatt-hours ( kwh) in 2005-06, up from 2.2 billion units in 1988-89.

Electrical experts said despite certain improvement in Yangon's electricity supply, there still exists some issues to be resolved such as frequent power failure due to old-aged cable lines and voltage drop.

Observers believed that with the present development rate of electric power, the power supply across the country will be further improved in the future and contribute to its industrial development including that in the industrial zones.

Source: Xinhua