Singaporean energy and urban development company Sembcorp Industries on Monday (Aug. 12) temporarily suspended operations at its Myingyan Independent Power Plant in Mandalay, Myanmar.

The move was made in light of escalating civil unrest in the country, including in Myingyan, where Sembcorp Myungyan's 225-megawatt gas-fired power plant is located, Reuters reported.

"Sembcorp will look to resume operations at the plant as soon as reasonably practicable once conditions are safe," the company said in a statement.

Sembcorp's majority stakeholder is Temasek Holdings, which is owned by the government of Singapore.

State of emergency

Conflict in the country is driving Myanmar's economy into an intensifying slump, Nikkei reported.

The military junta in Myanmar, which toppled the democratically-elected government in a 2021, extended the state of emergency for another six months in July, as reported by AP News.

The extension of the state of emergency was meant to stabilise the country in preparations for national elections.

Myanmar was originally supposed to hold an election in August 2023, but has constantly pushed back the date.

Recently, it said it would hold an election sometime in 2025.

Under the army-crafted 2008 constitution, the military can rule for up to one year under a state of emergency, with two possible six-months extensions before holding elections.

Top image via Sembcorp