THE Ministry of Elec­tricity and Energy held a workshop in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday to promote greater use of solar en­ergy as part of the coun­try’s electricity supply and strengthen long-term energy security.

Speaking at the open­ing ceremony at Horizon Lake View Resort, Union Minister U Ko Ko Lwin said reliable electricity is essential for national de­velopment and improving people’s livelihoods. He noted that Myanmar’s power generation still re­lies heavily on hydropow­er and natural gas, while climate change and vola­tile global energy prices pose growing challenges to energy security.

He said the ministry is developing an optimal electricity generation mix based on domestic energy resources. Given Myan­mar’s abundant solar po­tential and the relatively short construction period for solar projects, the gov­ernment is encouraging both large-scale grid-con­nected solar power gen­eration and the wider adoption of solar home systems by households and communities.

He urged partici­pants to identify practical solutions to technical and management challenges facing the sector, saying the discussions would help accelerate the im­plementation of effective solar energy projects and improve the efficient use of solar power.

The workshop fea­tured presentations by experts, panel discus­sions on accelerating so­lar energy development while maintaining the stability and reliability of Myanmar’s electricity system, and interactive question-and-answer ses­sions.

In his closing re­marks, U Ko Ko Lwin expressed hope that Myanmar would fully harness its abundant solar resources to build a greener future and achieve greater energy self-sufficiency.

The event was at­tended by 475 partici­pants, including Union Advisory Council Member U Ko Ko Hlaing, deputy ministers, senior officials from the ministry, repre­sentatives of government agencies, the Myanmar Engineering Council, the Federation of Myanmar Engineering Societies, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Indus­try (UMFCCI), local and international companies, guests and other stake­holders. — MNA/ST