The Electrification of Myanmar

Myanmar has the lowest electrification rate among the ASEAN countries with less than 30 percent of the population having access to electricity. Upgrading its electricity infrastructure and updating legislation governing the electricity sector is central to Myanmar’s economic development and for alleviating rural poverty.In particular, Myanmar is seeking to utilize its rich hydropower resources, which have been estimated at over 100,000 MW. In this paper the author provides an overview of Myanmar’s electricity sector and power generation potential in addition to outlining some of the challenges the country faces.