Kanpauk gas power project faces delays
The Tanintharyi Electrical Engineering Department has announced that a pilot power plant that is part of the gas-fired power plant project in the Kanpauk region is facing delays due to faulty parts.
The power plant, meant to be the first of its kind in the project and powered by gas turbines, failed to transmit electricity to Dawei on May 22 due to faulty auto breakers that were unable to channel electrical power onto the distribution lines.
“The power was to be distributed from Kanpauk to here, but it didn’t happen because of faulty breakers. We have to order the parts required to fix this from abroad. We have already notified the responsible company to rectify the problem as soon as possible. This issue was caused by the company generating the power. We at the state electric power development committee are all prepped and ready to go,” said Chief Electrical Engineer Khin Lay.
The botched operation on May 22 caused blackouts all over Dawei Township, damaging many businesses and drawing heavy criticism from the public.
The gas turbines used in the power plants were leased to the regional government by Andaman Power and Utility Co Ltd, at a rate of Ks73 per unit of electricity generated.
The generating cost of electricity by diesel currently costs Ks380 per unit, while that of new gas-fired power plants is expected to cost Ks300 per unit.
