Electric power in the spotlight at forum

18 February 2015
Electric power in the spotlight at forum
The challenges and opportunities of providing electrical power were discussed at the International Symposium on Energy Policy Development at Nay Pyi Taw on February 6, according to a press release sent by the organisers Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia on February 18. Photo: ERIA

Myanmar’s electrical power challenge was under the spotlight at a recent seminar, a challenge many Myanmar citizens understand on a practical level day to day.
The challenges and opportunities were discussed at the International Symposium on Energy Policy Development at Nay Pyi Taw on February 6, according to a press release sent by the organisers Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia on February 18.
The organizers were the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Government of Japan, the National Energy Management Committee of the Government of Myanmar, the University of Tokyo, and the Overseas Human Resources and Industry Development Association, in cooperation with ERIA. Specifically, this event looked at recent developments in the global energy arena, particularly in ASEAN, and discussed five possible energy policy directions by Myanmar.
U Zay Yar Aung, Minister of Energy and chairman of the NEMC, outlined the energy security challenges and the importance of rural electrification to accelerate economic growth.
Only about 33 percent of Myanmar’s households are wired up to the largely antiquated national electrical grid and for those who are linked up power cuts are common.
To achieve energy security, Myanmar must aggressively explore new supply sources and technology, and progressively integrate rural energy markets and infrastructure, U Zay Yar Aung said.
In the second half of the symposium, participants from various energy-related ministries presented policy proposals on energy technology and human resource development, electricity pricing, energy efficiency, energy market, and rural electrification based on six energy policy workshops held in September 2014-January 2015.