Myanmar is suffering frequent power outages following last year’s military coup and as energy prices rise. The military-controlled electricity and energy ministry says transmission equipment at hydro-power plants has been destroyed by militant forces. The ministry also says some natural gas-fueled power plants have suspended operations because fuel costs have surged.

Frequent electricity shortages, high in fuel oil prices caused increased in fuel oil usage in majority of industries and it led to reduce overtime hour in most of the industries according to industrial committees on March 10.

Residents of Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu Township are demanding a transparent explanation and details on a local power plant project, fearing that the project’s blocking of Kyaukphyu Creek between Ohntaw and Gone Chain villages will damage their farmlands and the larger environment.

The European Union is in a state of flux over its planned fourth round of sanctions on Myanmar’s military junta, with sources saying the targeted measures that were supposed to be announced next Tuesday (February 1) could be delayed until later in February.

Myanmar’s military regime is not pushing enough or not pushing at all the Chinese firms who are contracted to start solar power production, despite the fact that they are several months behind schedule, said critics. 

The exit of energy titans TotalEnergies and Chevron from Myanmar´s billion dollar gas industry has been hailed by rights groups, but analysts say it will not significantly weaken the generals and may even enrich the military in the short term.

Oil majors TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA) and Chevron Corp (CVX.N), partners in a major gas project in Myanmar, said on Friday they were withdrawing from the country, citing the worsening humanitarian situation following last year’s coup.

French energy conglomerate TotalEnergies has asked the American and French governments to support targeted sanctions against Myanmar’s oil and gas funds, the largest single source of income for the country’s military leaders.

Three electricity pylons supplying the China-backed Tagaung Taung nickel-processing plant in Sagaing Region have been blown up this month, forcing production to halt.

For more than nine months since the military coup, Myanmar’s cities and towns have been experiencing power outages for several hours on a daily basis. More than 11 months after the coup, the Military Council announced in a military-owned newspaper on January 6 that the electricity load would be reduced across the whole country as […]