"This chapter outlines the status of hydropower development in in Myanmar. In absence of a hydropower policy or plan in Myanmar, the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) will assess the existing hydropower plants and planned projects in the major river basins and sub-basins. Sixteen years after the World’s first hydropower plant was commissioned in 1882 in Wisconsin, USA, the first hydropower plant in Myanmar was built on the Yeni River with an installed capacity of 460 kilowatt (kW). Only in 1960 was the first large hydropower plant completed in Myanmar, the first phase of the 168 megawatts (MW) Baluchaung II hydropower plant, taking advantage of part of the available 650-meter (m) head at Lawpita Falls in the Thanlwin Basin south of Loikaw in Shan State. Development of large hydropower power continued, accelerating after 2000, and has now reached about 3,331 MW, including small and mini hydropower plants. Twenty-nine power plants are in the range 10 MW - 790 MW, totalling 3,298 MW (Figure 1.1). Of the 29 power plants already operating, twelve have been built by the Ministry of Electricity and Energy (MoEE, 1,474 MW), three by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MoALI, 144 MW) and seven by MoEE and MoALI in cooperation (492 MW). A further four have been built by Myanmar private developers, and three by foreign developers in joint venture with MoEE. Thirteen of the dams already built by MoEE and MoALI are multipurpose dams with irrigation and hydropower (12 MW - 280 MW) being the main uses of the dam. Figure 1.2 shows the locations of existing hydropower plant and planned hydropower projects..."