Myanmar: Suu Kyi trains policy spotlight on electricity

Myanmar: Suu Kyi trains policy spotlight on electricity

A recent village tour by Aung San Suu Kyi to discuss Myanmar's peace process
doubled as a checkup on the country's electrification progress, signaling
the de facto leader's determination to expand the power grid.

Hundreds of residents of the Mandalay Region village of Myaytaingkan lined
an unpaved road on Monday morning, waiting hours to welcome the state
counselor. Many households in the village of 1,242 support themselves by
growing rice and cotton or weaving cloth with simple equipment.

Upon arriving, Suu Kyi visited an electric facility introduced in March to
adjust voltage, making it possible to send power from a feeder line to some
250 homes. "Electrification is a central element of our government's
commitment to building a peaceful and prosperous future for all our people,"
she said.

She also stopped at a plant that now uses motor-driven looms to weave
colorful cloth. Since access to the grid has lowered power costs, compared
with private generation, 10 family-run plants have reportedly introduced a
total of 63 motorized weaving machines.

Though the main purpose of the visit was ostensibly to solicit feedback on
the government's peace efforts, Suu Kyi told the residents: "I chose to come
to this village because it just recently got electricity," adding that she
wanted to "know the difference in the situation before and after you got
electricity."

The government started reaching out to the public on the peace issue in
December; the meeting in Myaytaingkan was the fifth in the series. The idea
is to exchange views on conciliation among Myanmar's ethnic groups -- a top
priority for Suu Kyi's government.

But as Myaytaingkan's population is predominately Burmese, the village is
removed from ethnic tensions, making it a less-than-obvious choice. Of the
previous four discussion rounds, one was held in Panglong, Shan State, which
is a symbol of ethnic bridge-building in the past. The three others were
held in Naypyitaw, the capital.

Suu Kyi's real mission seems to have been to promote the electrification of
villages.

This signals a sharper policy focus. In the past, the state counselor's
statements on economic policy were generally limited to job creation,
according to an adviser who accompanied her on the visit. But recently she
has begun to stress the importance of improving power facilities and roads.

"We must accord priority to electrification in line with development of
transportation and job creation," she said in a speech in March, which
marked the first anniversary of her government.

While only 38.54% of households in Myanmar have access to electricity, the
government plans to raise the ratio to 100% by 2030.

The government, however, has yet to delineate a clear electrical power
policy -- especially when it comes to securing the stable sources that are
indispensable for industrialization.

Although coal-fired generation is relatively inexpensive, residents in areas
that would be affected tend to strongly oppose it, due to environmental
concerns.

Tun Naing, the deputy minister for electricity and energy, joined Suu Kyi on
the visit to Myaytaingkan. He said Myanmar "has enough possibilities to
produce electricity from hydro and gas-fired [plants]," and that the
government would "highly prioritize this kind of power generation" because
of the lighter environmental burden. Coal remains an option, he said, but
only "for future power generation."

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Link to Original Article: https://asia.nikkei.com/print/article/285677

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com