Opening ceremony is held for phase I of Thaketa power plant

The grand opening for phase I of Burma's Thaketa combined cycle power plant, built by SEPCOIII of PowerChina, was held in Thaketa township on March 17. U Win Khaing, Union Minister of Electricity and Energy, Kyaw Win, Minister of Planning and Finance, and Hong Liang, Chinese ambassador to Burma, gave speeches at the ceremony.

A opening ceremony is held for phase I of the Thaketa power plant.[Photo/powerchina]

"Electricity is crucial to the economic development of a nation. Burma has a population of 53 million people, with more than six million living in Yangon. Electricity consumption in Yangon accounts for 40 percent of the country's total." U Win Khaing said in his speech, "We strive to meet the demands of the people. Thaketa power station can provide 762 million kilowatt-hours of electricity for Yangon and its surrounding areas every year, enough to satisfy the needs of around 42,000 households."

U Win Khaing makes a speech at the ceremony. [Photo/powerchina]

According to Hong Liang, PowerChina delivered a miracle by completing the project in just 20 months and also building a natural gas power plant, which has the highest efficiency of any power plant.

Thaketa power station has started providing a steady and reliable supply of electricity to Yangon, alleviating the power shortage in the region. People no longer have to worry about losing power.

The power station is a testament to PowerChina's strength in the construction of electrical infrastructure and further solidifies the alliance between China and Burma in the power and clean energy sector.

China-Burma cooperation in the construction of electrical infrastructure, along with the China-Burma electricity connectivity project, is an important part of the Belt and Road Initiative and the pillar of the economic corridor linking China and Burma.

In the recent Trilateral Ministerial Meeting for the Electric Power Trading Initiative between China, Burma and Bombay, the three parties agreed that PowerChina should get more involved in the construction of electrical infrastructure in Burma in order to promote the cooperation between the two nations.