Skip to main content

Congo DR seeks investors for 4.8 GW Inga-III hydro project

The Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo DR) is seeking investors to add to the consortium of companies bidding to build the Inga III hydropower project. Three consortia are currently bidding for the 4,800 MW project: a consortium of China Three Gorges Corp. and SinoHydro (China), a consortium of SNC Lavalin (Canada), Posco and Daewoo (South Korea) and a consortium of ACS and Eurofinsa (Spain). The project is estimated at about US$12bn. Construction could start as early as October 2015 and commissioning would take place in 2020. Inga I and Inga II were commissioned in 1972 and 1982 respectively; their combined generation capacity is about 1.8 GW. The plant is expected to nearly triple Congo DR's installed capacity from about 2.6 GW in 2012 to 7.4 GW. Part of the power generation (up to 2,500 MW) could be exported to South Africa, though the bilateral treaty remains to be signed. Miners in Katanga would receive 1,300 MW while the remaining 1,000 MW would be used in Congo DR outside the mining sector.