The Asian Development Bank has approved an $80 million loan to upgrade Yangon’s ageing and unreliable electricity grid, benefitting an anticipated one million people in the former capital.
The Yangon Electricity Supply Corporation had previously promised that residents would enjoy electricity 24 hours a day starting from October. This hasn’t happened.
Nevermind – ADB to the rescue! According to a press release issued yesterday, their new initiative, the Power Transmission Improvement Project, will build vital transmission ring lines and upgrade substations at South Okkalapa and West University.
The city’s overall electricity transmission system will be boosted to 230 kilovolts.
“The ageing and overloaded transmission network requires urgent improvements to provide stable and ample supplies of power to support the country’s economic growth targets and poverty reduction objectives,” said Bui Duy Thanh, senior energy economist at ADB’s Southeast Asia Department.
“Yangon plays a central role as an economic hub for the country and this assistance will help the government ensure reliable power supplies are provided to the city and surrounding areas.”
Photo / Thar Lun Naing / Wikicommons
