Kyodo

Marubeni Corp. says it has been awarded a contract by the public utility Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise to overhaul a thermal power plant.

The plant in Ywama, about 20 km northwest of Yangon, is now out of service due to its age. Marubeni plans to replace parts in its gas turbine with Hitachi Ltd. components.

The restoration of the Ywama Combined Cycle Power Plant, which Marubeni delivered in 2005, will bring its output capacity to 34,000 kilowatts.

The contract represents the first power project since a civilian government replaced military rule in Myanmar in March 2011, according to Marubeni.

The trading house is trying to boost its infrastructure business in resource-rich Myanmar.