Residents fear restart of coal power plant
A coal-fired power plant in southern Shan State that was shut down two years ago due to residents’ complaints may be reopening, despite the opposition of the local community, villagers say. They are already accusing local officials of breaking their promises. Test operations at the plant, in Tigyit village, Pinlaung township, were carried out on October 22, apparently in advance of a resumption of activity. The state government says the reopening of the plant depends on the results of the tests. Villager U Sein Thaung said on October 24 that the government and the plant’s management had failed to inform residents about the tests. He said he and his neighbours still object to its reopening. “The company should have told us they were going to run tests, but they don’t care about us. And the Shan State government told us they wouldn’t allow the plant to reopen if we objected. It looks like they broke their promise.”
