Finland's Wartsila said July 2 it has been selected to provide the generating equipment for a new flexible gas-fired power plant to alleviate power shortages in Myanmar. No contract value was disclosed.

The 145-MW plant, operating on eight Wartsila 50SG gas-fuelled engines, is to be built on a fast-track basis, for scheduled start-up 1Q 2019, and will feed electricity into the national grid. 

The order for the plant was booked in 2Q 2018 and came from China-based contractor for the project, Sepco III Electric Power Construction , a leading global power construction company. It is the first Wartsila contract in Myanmar. The plant will be located in Kyaukse township, Mandalay region. 

Myanmar's electricity ministry issued the tender for the plant, which was awarded jointly to National Infrastructure Holding and Myanmar Chemical and Machinery, which in turn hired Sepco III.