Myanmar Junta Seeks China’s Help as Power Crisis Worsens

[geovalin]

MOI

 

 

Facing nationwide blackouts and deepening energy woes, Myanmar’s junta has turned once again to Beijing in search of investment and support, as vast swathes of the country now receive less than eight hours of electricity a day.

 

Admiral Tin Aung San, head of the junta’s Electricity and Energy Development Commission, travelled to Kunming last week to attend the China-South Asia Expo and court Chinese energy giants.

 

During the trip, he held talks with several firms, including SPIC Yunnan International Power Investment (SPICYN) — the controversial developer behind the long-stalled Myitsone Dam project — and Union Resource and Engineering, a backer of the massive Mee Lin Gyaing gas plant in Ayeyarwady Region.

 

The Mee Lin Gyaing project, worth $2.5 billion, is expected to begin commercial operations in 2027, offering some hope for long-term relief. But with Myanmar currently among the least electrified countries in Southeast Asia, the junta is scrambling for faster fixes.

 

SPICYN’s re-emergence has reignited debate over the Myitsone Dam, shelved in 2011 after mass protests. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing has repeatedly lamented its suspension, claiming it would have generated 6,000 megawatts — enough to meet and exceed national demand.

 

Myanmar’s energy system has been in freefall since the 2021 coup. Routine blackouts, fuel shortages, and grid sabotage by resistance forces have exposed the regime’s inability to keep the lights on. The junta blames its predecessors and armed resistance groups, deflecting

responsibility for a crisis now in its third year.

 

As fuel costs spiral, the regime is also pushing for a transition to solar, where China remains a key supplier. Chinese firms are already involved in solar, wind, hydropower and gas ventures across the country — underlining Beijing’s growing dominance in Myanmar’s energy landscape.

 

In Kunming, Tin Aung San also met senior Chinese lawmakers to discuss expanded cooperation in energy and agriculture, signalling that the junta sees China not just as an investor, but as a lifeline.

 

For millions of Myanmar’s citizens, however, power remains out — and the wait for solutions grows longer.

 

-2025-06-24