Myanmar Targets Energy Sufficiency Backed By Century-old Thanlyin Refinery 

PHNOM PENH, Dec 25 (Bernama) -- Energy-scarce Myanmar is embarking on a strategic national goal to achieve energy self-sufficiency and energy independence next year as it ramps up the country’s power infrastructure. 

With less than a week remaining before the national elections, Myanmar’s State Security and Peace Commission Chairman, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, assured the domestic power sector wouls be able to produce sufficient electricity to meet national demand.

“The Ministry of Energy has been making continuous efforts to meet the country’s fuel needs.

"The new Thanlyin refinery, with a capacity of 500,000 tonnes (of crude oil) per year, is expected to become operational under Phase I, and Phase II will further increase capacity to three million tonnes per year (once completed in 2028),” Aung Hlaing said on Wednesday, reported state media The Global New Light of Myanmar. 

He inaugurated the Energy Museum to commemorate the Ruby Jubilee of the Ministry of Energy and the Centenary of the Thanlyin Oil Refinery, in Yangon.

The museum showcases the prowess of the resource-rich Southeast Asian nation’s energy sector, which has remained untapped due to prolonged political stability and a lack of investments. 

He said the ministry will develop new offshore natural gas projects and oil fields, restore existing refineries, petrochemical plants, and fertiliser plants to boost the energy sector, reported the state media. 

Myanmar’s current energy mix includes hydropower, coal, natural gas, and solar.

The Thanlyin and Thakayta Power Plant projects will add 500 megawatts (MW) to the national grid, which will ramp up Yangon’s electricity demand.

The liquefied natural gas-fired Thanlyin (200MW) and Thakayta  (300MW) power plants began test operations this week, and their combined electricity supply will bring additional electricity to the national grid in 2026, according to the state media. 

The additional energy supply comes at a crucial time to jump-start Myanmar’s slowing economy, struggling at -2.5 per cent this year. 

Power shortages have been a major worry for populous and industrial cities like Yangon, Mandalay and the capital Nay Pyi Taw, which face frequent outages. 

The World Bank’s June 2025 report revealed that power outages in April this year were up from 42 per cent during the same period last year. 

“Power generation has been impacted by reduced gas-powered supply, increased reliance on ageing hydropower infrastructure, disruptions to transmission networks, shortages of spare parts, and reduced investment in operation and maintenance,” said the report. 

In addition, recent natural disasters - earthquakes and typhoons, and ongoing armed conflicts in parts of the country -  have severely damaged key power infrastructures.

Power lines, substations, and transformers have been destroyed. 

Power is also in much demand to support its garment sector, where about half a million workers produce international brand products for global markets, a major revenue generator for the country. 

Electricity is also needed to light up hotels and guesthouses across the country if Myanmar wants to revive its tourism sector. 

Since the military coup in February 2021, Myanmar has plunged into economic turmoil, while its nearly 55-million population has been deprived of a steady electricity supply to light their homes.

After a five-year hiatus, Myanmar’s military government will hold the first elections on December 28.

-- BERNAMA