Hydropower station in Myanmar resumes operation

An over-five decades-old hydropower station in Myanmar's Kayah state has resumed full operation following the completion of its all-round rehabilitation project, an official report said on Thursday.

The 168-megawatt (mw) Biluchaung hydropower station resumed service after all six machines with installed capacity of 28 mw each were rehabilitated, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the electric power ministry, during the fiscal year 2015-16, electricity has reached 41 of 114 villages while works are underway to electrify the remaining 73 villages in Kayah state.

The number of villages with access to electricity will total 256 at the end of the current fiscal year in the state which is expected to see 90 percent power coverage in the years to come, the ministry said.

Myanmar has a total of 5,235 mw of electricity from hydropower, natural-gas-fired, diesel-fired and coal--fired plants in 2015-16, up 1,822 mw from 3,413 mw in 2010-11, seeing 34 percent power coverage across the country.