African neighbors discuss major joint hydropower project

Officials from Congo and DR Congo have discussed joint development of the Pioka-Tombe project as a step toward wider energy expansion

Officials from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and the Republic of Congo held talks on Wednesday focused on plans to advance a major shared hydropower project, Congo’s national press agency (ACP) reported on Thursday. 

The meeting in Brazzaville brought together DR Congo’s minister of hydraulic resources and electricity, Aime Sakombi Molendo, and his counterpart from the Republic of Congo, Emile Ouosso. The DR Congo’s minister also met with Congolese president Denis Sassou Nguesso. 

The officials described the discussions as strategic and centering on the Pioka-Tombe hydroelectric project, which would have a total installed capacity of 6.45 gigawatts. 

Sakombi stated the two governments had decided to collaborate on what he described as potentially the largest energy project ever undertaken jointly by the two countries. He added that feasibility and technical studies were expected to be completed within six to nine months, as quoted by African Initiative. 

Read more

The effort reflects a plan to “optimally develop the potential of the Congo River” while sharing costs and benefits between both nations. “The cooperation DR Congo – Republic of Congo thus asserts itself as a lever for energy sovereignty and sustainable subregional integration,” the statement said. 

The project is also being presented by officials as a preparatory step toward the possible development of Grand Inga, a long-planned mega hydropower complex on the Congo River in the DR Congo. Authorities have indicated that the future Grand Inga facility could reach an installed capacity of between 40 and 70 gigawatts, which would make it the largest hydroelectric power station in the world if completed. 

Several African countries are currently developing large hydropower projects as part of their national electricity expansion plans. 

READ MORE: Regional leaders confer on DR Congo crisis

In September, Ethiopia officially inaugurated the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, now the largest hydropower project in Africa with a capacity of about 5.15 gigawatts of power, after more than a decade of construction.