The 111MW Tha Htay hydro project in Rakhine State’s Thandwe Township is 77.9% complete as of the end of July, Department of Hydropower Implementation (DHPI) Director Myat Thura told Myanma Ahlin.
Myat Thura added that the administration is planning to complete the project by the fiscal year 2025/26.
It is unclear why a more recent progress update was not provided, although progress is likely to have been slow amid the monsoon season in recent months.
In March, the project was reported 75.64% complete. In January it was reported that Tha Htay was 73.29% complete, up from 72.1% completion in March 2022.
In May 2021, the military signaled it was aiming to continue the project, which was 65.5% complete at the time. Construction has partly been delayed over the last two years due to damage at the site following heavy rains, particularly in August 2021.
Myanmar has earmarked more than Ks160bn ($76.4m) for hydropower projects during FY2023/24, according to Budget Department announcements in state media. According to the department, the Tha Htay, Shweli-3 and Upper Keng Tawng hydropower projects will be implemented during the current financial year.
About the Tha Htay hydropower project
The 111MW Tha Htay project in Rakhine State was announced in November 2008 and has been under development for over a decade.
In 2008, India’s Exim Bank agreed to a $60m credit line for the construction and delivery of the project, including substations and transmission line.
The project was also at one point being implemented with technical support from Norwegian government organisations, though it is believed this program was suspended following the military takeover.
While the construction works fall under the national budget, China’s EXIM Bank was originally slated to fund the generation equipment.
It is believed that Japan-based Kansai Electric Power Limited provided the project design and was at one point consulting on the project.
ILF Group Consulting Engineers (Asia), the company’s Thai subsidiary, received $1.1m in consulting fees from the military administration between February 2021 and April 2022 in relation to the project. Although the contracts for the services were signed under the civilian-led government, the company was criticised by activist groups for providing services following the military takeover.