It's lights up at Sembcorp's Myanmar power plant

Singapore

SEMBCORP Industries is opening its first project in Myanmar today - the US$310 million Sembcorp Myingyan Independent Power Plant (IPP).

Construction on the facility in Mandalay was completed last year after the Singapore-based utilities, marine and urban development group won the project in an international tender in 2017.

The opening ceremony was attended by U Win Khaing, Union Minister in Myanmar's Ministry of Electricity and Energy, and Chee Hong Tat, Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Trade & Industry and for Education.

Developed, owned and operated by Sembcorp, the power plant has a contracted capacity of 225 megawatts, and is one of the largest combined-cycle gas turbine plants in Myanmar. It is also the country's most efficient power plant, featuring advanced technology to maximise power output and minimise greenhouse-gas emissions.

The project began operations last October. It will generate about 1,500 gigawatt hours of electricity a year, and help meet the power needs of about 5.3 million people.

Unusual for a power plant, Sembcorp Myingyan has solar panels integrated into its premises. Some 106 kilowatt peak of solar panels have been installed on the rooftop of the plant's administrative building and warehouse, with potentially more to come. With this, Sembcorp Myingyan is Myanmar's first power plant to integrate both gas-fired and solar power generation.

Sembcorp Industries group president and chief executive Neil McGregor says: "Sembcorp is pleased to inaugurate our first power plant in Myanmar, which also marks the first fruits of the country's public-private partnership framework for energy projects."