European Chambers of Commerce in Yangon signed a letter last week to Myanmar’s Minister of Electricity and Energy, Win Khaing, asking for a postponement of the tender deadline and amendments to some unreasonable tender conditions. The letter, which was not made public, but was obtained by the author, states that "we encourage your government to urgently reconsider the timetable for this tender." "As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, potential foreign bidders and suppliers will not be able to inspect the sites associated with this tender, nor will they be able to
fully prepare and respond to whatsapp database the tender." For those businesses considering financing, the letter said the current June 18 tender deadline was unlikely to be met. Chambers of commerce say the tender would take at least 90 days without the Covid-19 outbreak. But with flight bans, passenger quarantine measures and other restrictions, they asked for the tender to be extended for at least nine months. They also expressed concern about the land acquisition evidentiary requirements and the terms in the power purchase agreement. The letter said that doing so will help make the bidding process more competitive and fair, thereby ensuring that Myanmar gets more competitive prices and attracting foreign investment more effectively.
A number of local energy companies in Myanmar have expressed to the author that they are disappointed that the government will go its own way and not listen to the opinions of the business community. These Myanmar businessmen criticized the move as damaging Myanmar's business reputation. A solar developer, who asked not to be named, said its overseas partners are now unable to enter the country to conduct site visits or prepare bids. shutterstock_1704590959 Photo Credit: Shutterstock /