The Inga III dam is part of the Grand Inga project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and it remains the largest hydroelectric project in the world.

The country is crossed by an impressive network of rivers, with a hydroelectric potential of around 110,000 Megawatts (MW), of which 42,000 MW is concentrated in Inga. The Congo River is the second longest river in Africa, with 4,700 km, but also the second in the world by its flow, on average 41,800 m3/s.

This project consists of a series of dams with a final maximum capacity of 40,000 MW, which is twice the production capacity of the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world, the Three Gorges Dam in China, or the equivalent of more than 20 large nuclear power plants.

DRC – 13% of the world’s hydroelectric potential –

The DRC currently has only 2,516 MW, or about 2.5% of the country’s hydroelectric potential, estimated at more than 100,000 MW, or about 13% of the world’s hydroelectric potential.

Located more than 200 km from the capital, Kinshasa, Inga is already home to the Inga I and II dams, which operate far below their actual capacity.

The Inga I and II dams could significantly increase the country’s energy production and allow the DRC to meet its internal energy needs finally. The fault would lie partly with the National Electricity Company (Snel), which regularly faces a chronic budget deficit, which would delay the country’s energy independence. And yet, decisions taken to revive this company have not been lacking over the last twenty years.

Built in the 1970s and 1980s, the Inga I and II dams are not operating at full capacity because of poor equipment maintenance. Most of the turbines are shut down, and due to a lack of spare parts, Inga I and II produce 351 MW and 1,424 MW, respectively, or only 20% of their maximum capacity. Therefore, it is understandable that only 16% of the Congolese population has access to electricity.

INGA III: the equivalent of more than 20 large nuclear power plants

Beyond the DRC, Inga III is a project of continental dimension that is of interest not only to South Africa but also to Nigeria, Egypt, and many other African countries. This is why the Grand Inga is among the priority projects of NEPAD, the New African Partnership for Development, SADC, the Southern African Development Community, and the WEC, the World Energy Council.

In the first phase of the Inga III project, eleven turbines will be powered by the waters of the Bundi River, a tributary of the Congo River, and will produce 4,800 MW. In the second phase, the objective is to produce 7,800 MW. Turbines can then be added to meet demand, which could bring the total power of the dam to 12.8 Gigawatts (GW).

The other five dams (from Inga IV to Inga VIII) are then planned to complete the Grand Inga and thus produce the expected 40,000 MW.

In gestation for more than ten years, the Inga III dam project has a total estimated cost of twelve billion US dollars. It was relaunched in 2013 with the promise made by South Africa to buy more than half of the electricity production of the future dam, thus guaranteeing the financial viability of the project. This mega project should solve not only the energy problems of the DRC but also of all of southern Africa. But beyond this region, some specialists believe that the scale of such a project is enough to supply electricity to the entire African continent.

Financing and environmental problems

The overall cost of the construction project of the Grand Inga complex, which will produce nearly 40,000 megawatts of power, is estimated at between 80 and 100 billion US dollars. Mobilizing such a jackpot by the DRC alone would be a challenge.

To give an idea of ​​the scale of the task, Bruno Kapandji, former President Joseph Kabila’s mission manager for this mega-project, declared in June 2018 that the construction site would last seven to eleven years.

Hence, the idea of ​​setting up a public-private partnership (PPP). But difficulties have also been encountered at this level with the failure, in 2018, of the Sino-Spanish consortium expected to relaunch this continental mega-project finally. The Australian mining company Fortescue, having taken over, also seems to have thrown in the towel. However, the Congolese government had entered into talks with this mining giant for the construction of the mega-hydroelectric dam. According to the latest news, some international financial institutions are mobilizing for the relaunch of the project.

For some observers, the rehabilitation of the Inga I and II dams would meet all of the country’s energy needs and even beyond. They believe that in view of the environmental consequences and the difficulties of mobilizing funds for Inga III, the alternative would be to focus on renovating the existing dams. It is also believed that the main potential beneficiaries of the Inga III mega-project are not Congolese citizens but rather the Katanga mining industry, the South African electricity company Eskom, and other stakeholders.

However, it should be remembered that only 16% of the Congolese population has access to electricity compared to an average of 30% in Africa, hence the acuteness of the construction of hydroelectric dams in view of the enormous potential of the country. President Felix Tshisekedi set the tone by declaring after his election that “The Inga III and Grand Inga projects will be carried out with a more transparent opening towards partners, taking into account the strategic and global importance of this site.”

Environmental impact

It will also be necessary to consider the consequences that such a mega-project can have on the environment. The diversion of the Congo River and the works on some tributaries are likely, according to experts, to flood the Bundi Valley, drown land previously intended for agriculture, and displace more than 35,000 people. At the same time, the reduction in the flow of the Congo River will most certainly cause a disappearance of biodiversity and cause irreversible changes in the dominant species. Finally, the presence of high-voltage lines represents a real threat to the safety of populations.

Without neglecting these environmental issues, the DRC’s development challenges must be addressed with vigorous and proactive responses. The potential exists. It must, therefore, be used wisely by practicing good governance that is likely to increase the flow of foreign direct investment in the country. This will definitively resolve the issue of financing this mega-project for the benefit of the DRC and all of Africa.