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M y a n m a r h a s a b u n d a n t
hydropowe r and na t u r a l gas
reserves but energy consumption
and electrification rate are both very
limited.
The World Bank reports show
that in 2014, the average annual
electricity consumption per capita
was only one-twentieth of world
average. Only 30 percent of the
country's population has access
to grid electricity, and the situation
in rural areas is even worse, where
about 84 percent of households have
no electricity connection. Lighting
generally depends on oil lamps,
expensive battery powered lights or
candles, and public places such as
streets, schools and hospitals also
lack electricity. This situation not only
greatly affects much of day-to-day
life, education, health and safety, but
is also hindering the development of
economic activities.
As the government of Myanmar
has made rural electrification and
lighting an important poverty relief
policy and a national development
goal, the TaiwanICDF responded to
the nation’s request and, in February
2014, sent experts to the country for
a site survey. An initial
fact-finding showed that
Myanmar has ample
sunshine, making solar
power an appropriate
energy resource for
development. Given
that Taiwan has fully
developed technology
and industrial chain in
solar photovoltaic (PV),
these advantages can be utilized to
help Myanmar develop a suitable
rural electrification and lighting
project.
Establish an Off-grid,
Centralized Power Supply
System in Remote Areas
Because the electrical grid is not
very extensive in Myanmar, a large
scale-up access to grid electricity
over a short period of time would not
only be time consuming, the capital
investment would be enormous.
For this reason, the TaiwanICDF
has proposed a pilot project to first
set up off-grid, centralized power
supply systems in one or two remote
areas that are estimated to remain
without access to national grid in a
short period of time. In addition to
installing suitable equipment, a user-
pay mechanism and self-operational
and management capacity among
the rural population could also be
built. This would be done in view of
developing a sustainable operation
model that could serve as a reference
for the future when the Myanmar
government would comprehensively
promote rural electrification and
lighting.
This proposal was
s u pp o r t e d b y t h e
Myanmar government,
and the TaiwanICDF
conducted appraisal
at target project sites
in August 2014. Based
on the assessment,
two solar PV mini-grid
systems and associated
energy-saving lamps will be installed
respectively in the village of Inbingan,
in the Magway Region, and two
adjacent villages, Bawdigone and
ChiYarPinSu, in the Sagaing Region.
Households and public places (e.g.,
temples and streets) would then be
provided with basic electric power
needed for lighting.
To bring rural communities to make
good use of the electricity generation
and supply systems, the responsibility
of maintenance and operation of the
systems in the future will be handed
over to a management committee
composed of villagers. Asides from
public utilities, household consumers
would have to pay electricity fees that
would serve as a revolving fund for
operations and management. Also,
technical consultants from Taiwan will
provide a series of training, including
but not limited to the organization
and operation of the management
committee, the operations and
maintenance of the systems, as well
as the advocacy and administration
of the user-pay mechanism.
The project is expected to
s t reng t hen t he capac i t y and
commitment of the Myanmar rural
population to manage solar PV
systems so that three villages with
2,793 in population will be able to
enjoy a clean, affordable and stable
power supply service.
2,793
Estimated number of rural
people with access to
electricity
Myanmar
Solar Power Project
3
Case Study