With a road map to reach 100 percent electrification rate from the current estimated about 40 percent by 2030, Myanmar has an exciting and challenging energy journey ahead. Energy diversification to enhance the delivery of sustainable, affordable, reliable power to more communities is another long-term goal for Myanmar’s energy planners because more than 60 percent of power is currently generated by hydro, and about 30 percent from gas. In light of these targets, fresh ideas and insights on new technologies, and opportunities to help Myanmar accelerate its energy modernization plans were shared by local industry leaders and General Electric (GE) Power & Renewable Energy experts at the GEhosted Powering Myanmar Conference in Nay Pyi Taw on November 20.
The “Bringing More Power to More People” themed-conference showcased new energy solutions which can contribute to meet Myanmar’s unique energy needs including high efficiency gas and coal power innovations, as well as small hydropower and digital solutions to support new hydropower projects.
Speakers from GE highlighted significant performance improvements the new technologies are delivering at power plants around the world including the Chubu Electric Nishi-Nagoya power plant block-1 in Japan. Powered by GE’s 7HA gas turbine, the plant was recently recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s most efficient combinedcycle power plant with its achievement of 63.08 percent gross efficiency. Each percentage point can translate to tens of millions of dollars for our customers. The 7HA has a host of other features include a fast 10 minutes ramp up from start to full load.
To help provide energy to remote, rural communities across Myanmar, speakers also showcased GE’s mobile power plant offerings designed to deliver fast power. These range from a mobile trailer-mounted compact power plant on wheels gas turbine, the TM2500, to aero derivative and heavy-duty gas turbines that can rapidly enable power generation to meet sudden demand. Given the importance of hydropower to Myanmar and the potential of resources yet to exploit in the country, new technologies such as GE’s small hydropower plant solutions were also showcased. Small Hydro projects are less capital intensive, quicker to build, less dependent on water flow levels, and easy to operate and maintain. Small Hydropower plants pave the way to a faster energy transition, provide populations with access to energy quickly and contribute to the diversification of countries’ energy matrix.
“As Myanmar has been blessed with vast energy and other natural resources, there is a great urgency to upgrade the skills of our workforce as well as the energy infrastructure. Myanmar needs to upgrade our generation capability in order to supply much-needed electricity to the rapidly growing economy. Under the new government, we have our pledge to our people that an additional 3,000 megawatt will be provided within three years and it is our commitment to our people. As we are the Ministry of the Electricity and Energy, we need the partners who can support latest technology solutions including high standard of smart grids, smart distribution systems for the production of electricity as efficient as possible in the lowest operation cost,” said Win Khaing, Union Minister of Electricity and Energy.Wouter Van Wersch, President and CEO of GE Asia Pacific said, “Powering Myanmar was a good opportunity for GE to learn more about Myanmar’s energy landscape directly from the leaders and stakeholders, driving change to see where we can bring our infrastructure experience in 180 countries, to bear. Power will be an important driver of Myanmar’s modernization and economic growth plans and it was encouraging to learn more about the thermal power projects in the pipeline and the drive to diversify the energy balance through plans to tap the country’s vast renewable power resources in the years ahead.”
