Impacts of Myanmar earthquake on the PV supply chain

On the afternoon of March 28 (Beijing time), a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Sagaing, central Myanmar, with tremors felt across multiple countries. Southwestern China also experienced a significant seismic impact, affecting some PV ingot production areas. While Myanmar is not a major hub for PV production, the cascading effects of this strong earthquake have caused repercussions in the upstream ingot segment of the PV supply chain.
 

Southwest China affected; wafer supply under short-term pressure

From a global PV supply chain perspective, China accounts for nearly 95% of total production in 2025, with major production hubs located in Inner Mongolia (32%), Yunnan (19%), Ningxia (12%), Sichuan (12%), and Qinghai (11%).


 

Following the earthquake, InfoLink immediately initiated an investigation to closely monitor the status of key PV production areas in Southwest China. Companies in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Inner Mongolia have reported production line disruptions and are conducting emergency equipment inspections and capacity assessments.

As a critical high-temperature thermal process in PV wafer manufacturing, ingot production requires highly stable equipment and producing conditions.  Although the earthquake did not directly strike these facilities, seismic waves have disrupted production schedules and capacity allocation. Some companies have suspended shipments and postponed order deliveries in response.

InfoLink’s initial research shows that several factories have temporarily halted production due to issues such as production line disruptions, sealed pots, and furnace explosions. The estimated impact is a loss of 3.5–4 GW in monthly wafer output, about 7–12% of total production. The actual impact could grow.
 

Market sentiment pushes up short-term wafer prices 

With concerns over tighter wafer supply, many wafer makers have paused shipments and started price renegotiations. Leading company Zhonghuan raised its price quotes on March 31, and others are following suit, driving wafer prices higher in the short term. Downstream cell and module makers are also hoping that this will help slow the price drops following recent market peaks. Continued monitoring of aftershocks and repair progress at affected sites remains important.

This earthquake, though sudden, highlights how vulnerable the PV industry can be to natural disasters due to its highly concentrated production base.

InfoLink continues to monitor developments in the global supply chain and responds swiftly to major events and policy changes, delivering timely and professional insights to help companies adjust their strategies and manage risks.
 

This is a public summary of InfoLink’s analytical report. For a comprehensive assessment of impacts on companies, production losses, and price trends, please refer to InfoLink’s members-only report.