Two projects with Wärtsilä engines delivering 292 MW will alleviate Myanmar’s power shortages

The technology group Wärtsilä will deliver on a fast-track basis the equipment for two power plants being urgently installed in Myanmar. During the summer of 2019, the Yangon area of the country was subjected to power cuts of up to six hours a day. In order to avoid this situation being repeated, the Myanmar government has ordered additional generating capacity to be installed and operational within a matter of months. Each plant will feature eight Wärtsilä 50SG pure gas engines delivering a combined output of 146 MW. They will contribute more than five percent of Myanmar’s grid capacity. The order with Wärtsilä was placed in Q4 2019, with the equipment to be delivered before the end of February 2020.

The projects will be owned by a consortium between China National Technical Import and Export Corporation (CNTIC) and VPower Group, Myanmar’s largest gas-fired engine power plant owner and operator. The two plants will operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel, and Wärtsilä’s vast experience and strong track record in high efficiency LNG fuelled engine technology was an important consideration in the award of the contract. However, of crucial importance was the company’s ability to meet the very demanding delivery schedule.

“Endeavouring to deliver the much-needed electricity to millions of households in Myanmar, we set stringent requirements on product efficiency, reliability and safety, and also the suppliers’ capability of timely delivery. Wärtsilä has proven in previous projects that it can be relied on to deliver on a fast-track schedule, and the high efficiency of its gas engine solutions is what is needed here. We appreciate the support and cooperation they are giving to ensure the success of these top priority projects,” said Earnest Cheung, Chief Commercial Officer of VPower Group.

In response, Kari Punnonen, Energy Business Director, North and South East Asia, Wärtsilä Energy Business said: “The consortium has taken a remarkable move to support Myanmar’s electrification on demanding schedule, and we are pleased to play our part in delivering on-time. These are flexible power plants that can operate base load at high efficiency but can also provide balancing power which is going to be necessary to introduce intermittent renewable energy sources in the Myanmar grid in the future.”

Wärtsilä’s recent project in Myanmar have contributed and helped Myanmar to achieve 50% electrification rate, celebrated by the Ministry of Energy and Electricity of Myanmar.

Wärtsilä Energy Business in brief 
Wärtsilä Energy Business leads the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help our customers unlock the value of the energy transition by optimising their energy systems and future-proofing their assets. Our offering comprises flexible power plants, energy management systems, and storage, as well as lifecycle services that ensure increased efficiency and guaranteed performance. Wärtsilä has 72 GW of installed power plant capacity in 180 countries around the world.
https://www.wartsila.com/energy/

Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in smart technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising sustainable innovation, total efficiency and data analytics, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2019, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 5.2 billion with approximately 19,000 employees. The company has operations in over 200 locations in more than 80 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
www.wartsila.com