Myanmar : Junta Revives China-Backed Mega-Dam Project

The Burmese junta has revived a $3.6 billion dam project backed by China, which was suspended over a decade ago due to strong public opposition.

On April 24, the junta announced a new “leadership group” for the hydroelectric dam project through a government portal earlier this week.

The group consists of eleven members, including the Deputy Minister for Electricity, and will “lead and manage research, technical solutions, and public relations” for the project, according to the notice.

This group will collaborate with the Yunnan International Power Investment Company, a subsidiary of the Chinese State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC), focusing on “research, technical solutions, and public relations,” though specific details were not provided.

The 6,000-megawatt hydroelectric dam project in Kachin State (north) was initially suspended in 2011 under the previous junta.

Opponents of the dam argued that it would cause significant environmental damage, with 90% of its production set for export to China.

A 2015 study commissioned by the junta suggested that constructing the dam could drastically alter the flow of the Irrawaddy River. According to a 2018 WWF report, two-thirds of Myanmar’s population lived in its basin.

Myanmar plays a crucial role in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. However, partnerships have faced obstacles since the 2021 coup.

Last year, an alliance of ethnic armed groups seized large swathes of territory in Shan State, which borders both Kachin State and China’s Yunnan province.

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