The  Inga 3 project and its hydroelectric plant at Inga Falls on the mighty Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, will, for the first time in Africa generate electricity of more than 10 000 MW.

A NEPAD Agency mission was undertaken to the Agency for Grand Inga Development and Promotion of the Democratic Republic of Congo (ADPI-DRC), from 10-11 August in Kinshasa, as part of NEPAD’s mandate to facilitate and coordinate the implementation of Africa's priority programmes and projects. The objective for the mission was to conduct consultations and  working sessions with ADPI experts in order to take appropriate and practical measures to  accelerate the commencement of the Inga3 Project.

The findings and recommendations during the NEPAD Agency’s mission are contained in an aide-memoire that will be signed by both parties. The time spent in the DRC provided an opportunity to take stock of the actual working conditions of the ADPI, noting the current progress of the Inga3 Project.  Inquiry into the concerns and needs of the ADPI was also made in order for the NEPAD Agency and ADPI to agree on a strategy with an action plan to accelerate the implementation of this flagship and strategic Programme for Infrastructure Development in  Africa (PIDA) project. This will go a long way in contributing to the objectives of Agenda 2063 on access to electricity in Africa.

A new vision for the promotion of Grand Inga and Inga3, based on an integrated project approach that contributes to the socio-economic development of the DRC, the sub-region and the continent of Africa was also agreed upon.

The NEPAD Agency team, which was led by Mr Aboubakari Baba-Moussa, Senior Advisor to the CEO, was welcomed by Mr Daniel Mukutu Ndombasi, ADPI’s Technical Director. HE Mr Bruno Kapandji Kalala, Head of State Mission Officer in charge of the ADPI-RDC, thanked Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, CEO of the NEPAD Agency, for sending a team to undertake the mission at an opportune time.  He also lauded NEPAD’s efforts towards ensuring good cooperation between the two institutions in order to provide the necessary support to the government of the DRC to accelerate the implementation of the Inga3 Project and of the Grand Inga overall. Mr Kapandji Kalala also highlighted the strategic orientation and information on the Inga3 project as well as the prospects for strengthening the ADPI.

Mr Baba-Moussa reaffirmed the commitment of the NEPAD Agency towards fulfilling its role in helping to strengthen the capacity of ADPI-DRC.  The efforts will also go towards ADPI-DRC’s missions in its national, regional, continental and international dimensions, towards the promotion and development of Grand Inga and Inga3.

The Inga3 and Grand Inga projects are both PIDA Priority Action Plan (PIDA-PAP) projects and flagship projects in Agenda 2063. Thus, with the realisation of Inga3, for the first time in Africa, we will generate electricity of more than 10 000 MW to be transported by a network of interconnecting transmission lines.

The DRC and South Africa have already signed a power purchase agreement for 2500 MW. The DRC and the countries in Central Africa are also in the process of establishing more Power Purchase Agreements. Power purchase agreements will also have to be signed between the DRC and the countries through which the transmission lines will pass on the way to South Africa.

Currently, the Inga3 project has seen the ADPI-DRC Agency go through tender processes and bringing on board a pro-Inga international partners (American-Hispanic) and Chinese groups to form a consortium to present an Optimised Common Offer on the High-Fall, with production  power of between 10,000 MW and 12,000 MW. This combined offer is expected to be presented by the end of September 2017. The initial cost of the Inga3 project, estimated at US$12 billion will be revised, while financing will be through a public-private partnership. The actual production of electricity is projected for 2021.

There is hope that will Africa finally start providing for its people sustainable electric power, at a lower cost towards the continent’s industrial transformation.

Source: NEPAD Agency