Myanmar to Push Ahead With Suspended Myitsone Dam Project, Officials Say

Myanmar's military-backed government plans to revive the controversial China-backed Myitsone dam project, which was suspended in 2011 amid widespread public opposition. Sources familiar with recent comments by Khet Htein Nan, the chief minister of Kachin State, told Reuters that work on the $3.6 billion project would "begin shortly." Htet Paing Htoo, a member of the Kachin State parliament, told Reuters that an official announcement would be released and that "the president himself has already stated that it will be restarted." Khet Htein Nan, who previously opposed the dam, has recently led public meetings across Kachin State urging locals to support the project. At one meeting on June 23, he reportedly admitted regretting his past opposition and declared the government's determination to press forward with construction. He estimated that while completion might take about 10 years, it could be finished in just over eight years due to prior groundwork. Min Aung Hlaing, the junta leader, reportedly discussed the dam's resumption during his recent visit to China. Presidential spokesperson Khaing Khaing Soe stated that Min Aung Hlaing has criticized past governments for suspending the project, arguing that earlier implementation would have led to nationwide electricity coverage. The spokesperson acknowledged public concerns and said Min Aung Hlaing has instructed his administration to seek public consent, evaluating the balance between benefits and negative impacts. The Myitsone dam is slated to be built at the confluence of the Mali and N'Mai rivers, which form the Irrawaddy River. Agreed upon in 2006 by a previous junta, the project was controversial due to potential environmental and social impacts, and reports that 90 percent of its electricity would be exported to China. In 2011, then-President Thein Sein announced the suspension of construction, citing "the wishes of the people." This suspension was seen as a catalyst for subsequent economic and political reforms in Myanmar before they were terminated by the 2021 coup d'état. China, angered by the 2011 suspension, has been pushing for its resumption. The junta's increasing reliance on China, particularly in countering ethnic armies along the border, has forced it to take Chinese concerns seriously. In April 2024, the junta announced the formation of a new leadership team for the Myitsone project, tasked with research and public relations in collaboration with the dam's Chinese developer, SPIC Yunnan International Power Investment Company. However, the project's future remains uncertain. No official details on revised contracts, ownership rights, or operational frameworks have been released. The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) continues to oppose the project, and the ongoing conflict in northern Myanmar could further complicate its progress. The extent of the government's reliance on China, which has intervened more actively in Myanmar since 2023, may suggest it has limited leverage. Resuming the project is perhaps the price it needs to pay for maintaining productive relations with Beijing. Any attempt to restart the Myitsone project could also be complicated by the conflict in northern Myanmar. The KIA, which has made significant territorial advances in Kachin State since the coup, continues to oppose the project. While the KIA does not occupy the area around the Myitsone confluence, the possibility of resumed fighting in the vicinity could bring the project to a halt once again.