An Initial Assessment of the Economic Costs of Natural Gas for Myanmar’s Domestic Market (English)

Myanmar's energy consumption is among the lowest in the world. About 70 percent of the population has no access to electricity, and the consumption per capita is 160 kWh per annum, twenty times less than the world average. Most rural areas lack electricity...  See More + Myanmar's energy consumption is among the lowest in the world. About 70 percent of the population has no access to electricity, and the consumption per capita is 160 kWh per annum, twenty times less than the world average. Most rural areas lack electricity services - only 16 percent of rural households have access to grid-based power. Access to modern fuels for cooking (such as LPG) is limited to urban areas, with the countryside relying on traditional biomass (fuel wood and animal dung), comprising about two-thirds of Myanmar's primary energy consumption. To support evidence-based development strategies for the nation’s energy sector, the World Bank has commissioned this study of the economic costs of natural gas development and distribution in the domestic market. Natural gas can be a potent catalyst for economic growth and livelihoods improvement, but as a direct energy source and feedstock for relatively low emission electric power generation. For their part, Myanmar authorities are interested to review the economic cost of supplying natural gas for domestic consumption to better prepare for the rising domestic demand for gas. An updated gas costing exercise can support effective decision-making on leading energy policy decisions, including but not limited to balancing gas export and domestic consumption, domestic gas pricing, including tariffs and/or subsidies.  See Less -