China, Myanmar and Thailand are set to sign an agreement that could launch development this year of the 7000MW Mong Ton hydro project on the Upper Salween River, the Nation newspaper has reported.
If the project goes ahead, Thailand’s Electricity Generating Authority and China’s Three Gorges Corp would each own 40%, with Myanmar’s government owning the remaining 20%.
Upper Thanlwin (Mong Ton) Hydropower Project locates in the middle reaches of the main Thanlwin River in Myanmar between Mong Ton and Mong Pan Town, 310km eastern of Taunggyi, capital of Shan State. The dam site is about 19km upstream from Wan Has La Village and has an annual discharge 2776m3/s. The Project is designed to have the concrete gravity dam with the preliminary dam height 231m, reservoir normal water level 395m and the total storage capacity 39.8 billion m3.
Being the third cascade project of Thanlwin River, Upper Thanlwin (Mong Ton) Hydropower Project has a planned installed capacity 7000MW with annual energy production 34.7 billion kW•h. In accordance with agreements between investors and Ministry of Electric Power of Myanmar, the energy generated by Upper Thanlwin (Mong Ton) Hydropower Project will firstly meet the energy demands of Myanmar country and then rest energy will be sold to neighboring countries of Myanmar. The completion of Mong Ton Hydropower Project will not only address the energy scarcity situation, but also make great contributions to social and economic development of Myanmar.
Upper Thanlwin (Mong Ton) Hydropower Project is jointly developed by Consortium including China Three Gorges Corporation as the leading party, Sinohydro and China Southern Grid from China, EGATi (wholly subsidiary of EGAT) from Thailand and local company IGE on BOT basis.
The Feasibility Study Report of Upper Thanlwin (Mong Ton) Hydropower Project has been completed by Chinese consultant CSPDR and been submitted to Ministry of Electric Power of Myanmar in September, 2013. As per the requirements of MOEP, SMEC from Australia has been selected to be the consultant for EIA/SIA of Upper Thanlwin (Mong Ton) Hydropower Project through international bidding process. Under the approval of Ministry of Electric Power and Ministry of Environmental Conservation & Forestry of Myanmar, SMEC has started EIA/SIA work for Upper Thanlwin (Mong Ton) Hydropower Project from October, 2014.
Source : WP
