Thailand, Myanmar, China to sign MoU for Salween hydropower project

15 July 2015
Thailand, Myanmar, China to sign MoU for Salween hydropower project
Photo: Hong Sar/Mizzima

Thailand, China and Myanmar are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the development of the 7,000-megawatt Mong Ton hydropower-plant project on the upper Salween River this year, after Myanmar's government cancelled its Tasang hydropower project Thailand’s The Nation reported on 15 July.
Speaking yesterday on behalf of the three countries, Thai Energy Minister Narongchai Akrasanee said the Electricity Generation Authority of Thailand International (EGATi) would hold a 40-per-cent stake in the Mong Ton project, China's state enterprise the Three Gorges Corp would take a similar stake, and the Myanmar government would hold the remaining 20 per cent.
The project is expected to take five years to construct. In the initial stage, about 700MW of power generation is expected and will be delivered to Myanmar, the remaining 6,300MW will later be sold back to Thailand under the Kingdom's plan to purchase power from neighbouring countries, said the minister.