The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced on December 5th it has approved a USD 171.27 million loan to help Myanmar construct 44 medium-voltage substations and 1,006 kilometers of distribution lines across Kayin state and the Ayeyarwady, east Bago, and Magway regions. All project areas have higher poverty and lower electrification rates than the national average.

The Accelerated Rural Electrification Project will expand the electric grid to enable electrification of 400,300 households in 2,815 villages by supplying more than 310 gigawatt-hours of electricity from the grid, enough to support basic power consumption by target beneficiaries. It will also set up Myanmar’s first computerized distribution automation system, which will optimize power distribution through real-time monitoring and the management of network faults.

“The project will help the government provide stable and reliable electricity in rural areas, supporting inclusive economic growth, creating jobs, and contributing to Myanmar’s aspiration of achieving universal electricity access by 2030,” said ADB Principal Energy Economist Duy-Thanh Bui. “The project will also lessen the economic and social impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic by improving people’s access to healthcare, education, and job opportunities.”