Rebel Attacks Make Myanmar More Crisis In Electricity Supply

JAKARTA - Electricity supply in Myanmar fell to half of normal numbers, as rebels damaged critical transmission networks, causing prolonged power outages in most South Asian countries.

The lack of natural gas in war-torn countries has also led to a decline in production to only 2,200 MW per day, from the usual figure of 4,000 megawatts (MW).

This is a rare acknowledgment of the junta's inability to manage critical infrastructure nearly four years after the powerful military toppled the elected civilian government, sparking the civil war that hit the poor nation.

"Currently, electricity is supplied to the Yangon area by 48 percent, the Mandalay area by 17 percent and the rest, including Naypyidaw, by 35 percent," said the Global New Light Of Myanmar newspaper, referring to the two main urban areas and the capital.

Power outages are getting worse this year in the commercial capital Yangon, with supplies limited to blocks of four hours, followed by an eight-hour power outage, as planned by the electricity ministry announced last week.

"We need to schedule cooking and washing at certain times," said Aung, a 33-year-old resident living in Myanmar's largest city and a population of 7.3 million.

"We couldn't sleep well because there was no electricity and the phone line didn't work properly because the cell phone tower was always out," continued Aung.

A shortage of power plants of 1,009 MW occurred due to the destruction of 14 transmission lines to power plants.

The decline in production by around 430 MW was caused by a shortage of natural gas and the closure of the hydroelectric power plant project.

Armed pro-democracy rebels, who the junta calls terrorists', damaged power lines at more than 160 points and 171 transmission poles.

Spokesperson for Myanmar's anti-junta shadow government, the Government of National Unity, accused the authorities of mismanagement.

"They are not doing any maintenance or repair because they are too focused on personal interests," Kyaw Zaw said.

"They destroyed all electric projects under the NLD," he continued.

More than 40 percent of electricity in Myanmar is produced from gas, and the rest comes from hydroelectric and coal plants, said research firm BMI.

"Without a domestic gas supply substitution, this country will find it increasingly difficult to maintain the capacity of gas-fueled power plants based on domestic production alone," he said.

The electricity crisis in Myanmar has steadily deteriorated since 2021, the World Bank said last year. This is due to the aging power plant, gas shortages, damage to the national power grid, lack of parts, and weak management.

"Operational capacity in early 2024 was as low as 2015, which means progress for years has failed," the World Bank continued.