An increasingly desperate Junta suffering a string of military setbacks in Kachin State has launched a plan to revive the long moth-balled Myitsone dam project.
During the presidency of U Thein Sein, his decision led to the suspension of the Myitsone dam project for over a decade. Now the Chinese government is negotiating with the coup Junta to revive this hugely controversial project that sparked massive protests in Myanmar which was one of the factors which led to the dam’s suspension.
The Junta-aligned Kachin State Chief Minister, U Khet Htein Nan, stated that China is proposing to build the Myitsone dam project at a lower height than originally planned to reduce the risk of potential aftermath disasters due to the dam.
According to expert assessments, the dam project's flooded area could be as vast as Singapore, displacing tens of thousands of locals. Situated a mere 100 kilometers from
the Sagaing earthquake fault line, there is also a concern about the dam's potential collapse during seismic activity. In the event of such a catastrophe, Myitkyina town, downstream from the dam, could face severe flooding, ISP Myanmar – China Desk also warned.
The Myitsone dam project on the Irrawaddy was viewed not only as a dangerous project, but also unacceptable affront to sacred historical birth-place of the Kachin people, and at the same time Bamar people saw it has harming the culture, history and integrity, of the Irrawaddy.
In the October 2020 report from the Institute for Strategy and Policy (ISP) Myanmar - China Desk, it was stated that the planned area for the dam construction is 18,000 square miles. The upper reservoir's water height is projected to be 980 feet, with the dam height set at 500 feet. The maximum water height of the reservoir is anticipated to reach 950 feet, with a capacity to hold a maximum water volume of 34 million acre-feet. The estimated investment cost for the project is 3.6 billion USD.
The key difference in the new proposal is that China has offered to lower the height of the dam to reduce potential risks, U Khet Htein Nanu told MNJ.
"According to what I have heard, the Chinese proposal suggests building the dam at a lower height than previously planned to reduce risk. I do not know the details yet”, he said.
MNJ has not yet been able to find out the planned height of the dam or how the project is being prepared for construction.
U Khet Htain Nan also mentioned that his Kachin State government has not received any precise directives from the Junta regarding the dam and its hydropower project.
Kachin environmental activists have remarked that given the current circumstances, it will prove challenging for the Junta to carry out the Myitsone dam construction project in Kachin State.
These activists intend to escalate their opposition to the fullest extent if the Junta persists in its determination to proceed with the dam construction.
An official from the Kachin Environmental Group (KEG) stated that constructing a massive dam in the Myitsone area could have unforeseeable and devastating consequences for the Ayeyarwady River, which is considered the main lifeline of Myanmar.
"If a dam is built in an area like Myitsone, big or small, it will cause harm to the public”, he warned.
Even now, some areas in the country are suffering from water scarcity, and if the Myitsone dam is built, more areas will face the same issue, potentially damaging the livelihoods of those who depend on the Ayeyarwady River, he added.
On April 24, the Junta established the 9-member steering committee, officially named the Upstream Ayeyawady Confluence Basin Hydroelectric Project Steering Group, which includes officials such as Kachin State's Minister of Natural Resources and the Junta's Minister of Electric Power. Kachin State's Minister of Natural Resources was appointed as the committee's deputy in charge.
The tasks of the steering committee, in collaboration with the leadership of SPIC Yunnan International Power Investment Co., Ltd (SPICYN), are research activities, technical solutions and public relations activities for the Myitsone project and provide guidance and decision-making to the technical working group and public relations working group on key issues of the project, according to the Junta’s statement.
The committee has also been tasked with assisting in the coordination of the Myitsone project between the Chinese government and the coup regime.
There are also speculations that the Junta may be preparing to revive the Myitsone project as a desperate measure to counteract its successive military defeats in Kachin State.
Land surveys for the Myitsone project began in 2002 when the Kansai Electric Power Company built a small weather station in Tanghpe village.
In 2006, SPIC and the Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MOEE) signed an initial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). In 2009, following the release of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), the final stage of the MoU was signed, according to ISP Myanmar – China Desk, citing BANCA's report.
In 2009-2010, villages within the Myitsone project area were forcibly relocated, and the first phase of construction began. During that period, four explosions occurred at the construction site, resulting in casualties.
According to the agreement, China will receive 80% of the electricity produced from the Myitsone project, the Myanmar government will receive 15%, and Asia World Company will receive 5%, ISP Myanmar – China Desk reported.
During the post-coup period, gold extraction activities around Myitsone have intensified, prompting local people to engage in activities such as advocating for environmental protection and raising awareness every year on World Rivers Day.
