The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Myanmar have inaugurated a solar photovoltaic (PV) mini-grid system in Kyet Su Taw Village, located in Kyaukpadaung Township, Mandalay Region. The project aims to improve electricity access in rural communities through renewable energy and support the development of sustainable livelihoods in areas that remain beyond the reach of the national electricity grid.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Dr. Tun Win, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI), U Sai Kyaw Zaw, Ethnic Affairs Minister of Mandalay Region, and U Khant Zaw, Director General of the Department of Rural Development at MOALI. Representatives from ADB also participated, including Andrew Jeffries, Director of the Energy Division at ADB’s Southeast Asia Regional Department, ADB Executive Director Won-Mok Choi, and Choon-Sik Jung, the Energy Specialist responsible for the project.
Speaking at the event, Andrew Jeffries highlighted ADB’s support for introducing one of Myanmar’s first solar PV mini-grid systems. He noted that the installation is the first in the country to use prepaid electricity meters and a pay-as-you-go payment system. The project is expected to serve as a model for community-based electrification and livelihood development through renewable energy, particularly in Myanmar’s dry regions.
Electricity access remains a major challenge in Myanmar, where only around one-third of nearly 64,000 villages are electrified. The government has set a target of achieving 100% village electrification by 2030. Meeting this target requires providing electricity to approximately 40,000 additional villages through a combination of grid extensions and off-grid electrification solutions.
The project is financed by the Government of Japan through the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction. It supports Myanmar’s efforts to expand energy access in selected rural communities. As part of the initiative, community-based organisations known as Village Energy Committees have been established to encourage local participation in managing electricity services and supporting development activities.
The initiative also focuses on improving livelihoods by connecting electricity availability with rural economic activities. In addition, it includes the development of a geospatial investment plan for the selected regions and capacity-building support for government institutions involved in designing and implementing small-scale renewable energy systems.
ADB expects the experience gained from this pilot project to help establish guidelines, technical standards and regulations for future off-grid renewable energy developments across Myanmar. These measures are intended to encourage wider adoption of decentralised renewable energy solutions.
An international investor forum was also tentatively planned for the first quarter of 2017 to present the project’s findings and attract participation from the government, private sector and other stakeholders. The forum was expected to showcase proposed projects, potential business models and financing recommendations to support future investments in rural electrification.
Through this initiative, ADB and Myanmar aim to demonstrate how solar-powered mini-grids can improve rural electricity access, strengthen community participation and support sustainable economic development.
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