The Grand Inga Hydropower Project

Aim

The “Grand Inga Hydropower Project” is in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The project, purposed to have a total installed capacity of over 42,000 MW, is designed to contribute to the electricity supply for DRC and the entire continent.

Progress to-date

• Following the decision by the Government of DRC in 2018 to change Inga 3 concept from 4,800MW to 11,000MW for a total investment cost of US$ 18bn - including US$ 4bn for the transmission lines - an agreement was signed in October 2018 between the Government and a consortium of Chinese and Spanish companies to undertake technical studies and environmental and socio-economic impact assessments of Inga 3. The investment costs will be mobilised by the consortium.

• Out of the 11,000MW capacity, South Africa would like to receive 5,000MW, Nigeria 3,000MW, mining companies in DRC 1,300MW and the rest for the DRC National Utility (SNEL). Guinea also expressed a desire to buy 7,500MW.

• In 2019, the DRC Government in collaboration with the “Agence de Développement et de Promotion du Projet Inga (ADPI)” organised promotion events of the Grand Inga project.

Challenges

• Financial resource mobilisation is taking much longer than expected causing delays in project implementation.

• The addition of new interested Member States on the project and the concept of 11,000MW will affect the previously concluded agreements and coordination arrangements, including agreements made with countries through which transmission lines will pass.

Next Steps

• Intensify resource mobilisation efforts;

• Engage with countries where the transmission lines to South Africa and to Nigeria (Inga-Calabar) will pass to sign agreements; and

• Provide requisite support to the Government of DRC in setting up a continental coordination arrangement for the project.