Yangon - Construction work on a 600-megawatt hydroelectric
project on the Shweli River in upper Myanmar is 51 per cent
completed, state-run media reports said Friday.
Senior General Than Shwe, who heads Myanmar's ruling junta, on
Thursday led a delegation to visit the project site in Namkham
district of the Shan State, 712 kilometres north of Yangon, reported
the New Light of Myanmar.
Minister for Electric Power Colonel Zaw Min told the
visiting military officers that construction of the approach road and
Shweli Bridge have been completed while work on a concrete
embankment, the diversion tunnel, the pilot channel and power intake
building and the approach tunnel was still underway at the river's
first hydroelectric plant.
The first Shweli plant will generate 600 megawatts of
electricity, and two others planned on the river will generate 460mw
and 360mw, respectively.
A 288 kilometre-long power line will link Shweli to Mandalay,
Myanmar's commercial hub, said the daily newspaper.
Than Shwe stressed the need to implement the projects as soon as
possible.
Myanmar, which has been under military rule since 1962, suffers
from nationwide electricity shortages and blackouts.
The junta is relying largely on hydro-power inland to fuel its
national electricity grid, despite concerns about population
displacements caused by the construction of dams and environmental
damage.
Besides the three hydroelectric plants planned on the Shweli,
Myanmar plans to construct five plants on the Salween River with
assistance from neighbouring Thailand.
Activists and environmentalists have urged the Thai government to
review their involvement in the Salween projects until proper studies
have been carried out on the impact on the people and environment in
the vicinity of the dams.
In May 2005 the Thai Energy Ministry and Myanmar Ministry of
Electric Power signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to build
five hydroelectric dams on the 2,800 kilometre Salween River that
runs from Tibet through eastern Myanmar and at one point defines the
Thai-Myanmar border.
In December 2005 another MOU was signed between the Electricity
Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) and Myanmar Department of
Hydropower to build the 1 billion dollar Hutgyi dam, on which
construction is due to commence in December 2007.
The planned dams will displace tens-of-thousandsof Myanmar
villagers living in the Karen, Karrenni and Shan territories, they
will also have an unknown impact on Thai villagers living near the
Salween River in Mae Hong Son province.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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