President says efforts should be made to ensure domestic fuel oil can be used with confidence

It is necessary to strive to continuously improve the refining percentage of oil refineries so that domestically produced fuel oil can be used with confidence, said the Head of State, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. The Head of State said this when he went to inspect the operational status of the No. 1 Refinery (Thanlyin) on July 18. First, Union Minister for Electricity and Energy U Ko Ko Lwin explained to the Head of State in the factory's meeting hall that Phase I of the oil refinery, with a refining capacity of 500,000 tons per year, is planned to be operational and produce in September of this year, and Phase II will also be continued. He explained the situation regarding the production and distribution of 60 percent of the country's gasoline and 50 percent of its diesel when Phase II is completed. Regarding the explanation, the Head of State said that the No. 1 Refinery (Thanlyin) had to suspend its operations for various reasons, and since the energy sector is an important and beneficial business for the country, he has pushed for the reconstruction and operation of this refinery during the period when his government took responsibility. He said that with the operation of this refinery, employment opportunities will be created for the public, and fuel oil for domestic needs can be purchased and used at a lower cost. Furthermore, the Head of State said that foreign exchange expenditure can also be reduced as imports of fuel oil from abroad can be reduced. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing stated that the construction of Phase I is a milestone for their government, and it is necessary to plan for the continuous supply of raw materials required for the operation of the refinery.