MYITKYINA
Myanmar’s government is preparing to revive the highly controversial $3.6 billion Myitsone hydropower project, with plans to complete the massive undertaking within the next eight years.
The decision follows recent high-level talks in China, signaling a major shift in policy for the military-backed administration led by President Min Aung Hlaing.
The project, which was originally suspended in 2011 due to intense public outcry over environmental risks and loss of ancestral lands, is once again a central focus for the state.
Officials claim the dam is essential to address Myanmar’s severe electricity shortages, suggesting it could provide over half of the country’s 10-gigawatt power needs. However, due to inflation and delays, experts estimate the updated project could cost upwards of $11.5 billion more than triple its original 2009 budget.
While the government argues that new Chinese technology can mitigate seismic and environmental risks, the decision has drawn sharp condemnation from civil society. Over 49 advocacy groups recently issued a joint statement demanding the project’s permanent cancellation, warning that flooding an area the size of Singapore will destroy lives and property.
Local leadership in Kachin State has begun hosting meetings to build public support, though the region remains scarred by ongoing civil conflict. With the government positioning the dam as a “historic achievement,” the move highlights the deepening influence of Beijing in Myanmar’s energy sector. As construction preparations begin, the project remains a flashpoint for deep-seated tensions over environmental safety and national sovereignty.