Studies show Inga 3 has a lower impact on populations and the environment compared to similar projects in the world (Studies)
Environmental and social studies carried out on the implementation of the Inga 3 project indicate that 37,000 people are expected to be affected and 170 km² of land will be submerged by the completion of this project to erect an 11,000 MW dam in the province. Congo Central, reveals the communications officer of the Grand Inga project development agency citing environmental and social studies.
“INGA3: environmental & social studies carried out have shown that the project has a low impact on populations, compared to projects of similar importance around the world”, asked Patrick Kabuya on his tweeter account.
Worldwide, the Chinese Three Gorges dam project affected 1.3 million people, 632 km² of land was emerged, for a capacity of 22,500 MW.
Similarly, the Itaipu dam (Brazil and Paraguay project) affected 112,000 people, 1,540 km² of submerged land for a capacity of 14,000 MW, according to data provided by the Inga Project Development Agency.
On August 7, the Chinese and Spanish consortia involved in the development of the Inga 3 project, the first of the six phases of the Grand Inga, signed a merger agreement as part of the construction of this vast hydroelectric dam in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. .
After this merger, the next steps should be successively laying the foundation stone, carrying out additional studies, creating the project company, preparatory work, financial closing, the concession, construction and finally commercial contracts.
The stake in the construction of Inga 3 is not only to compensate for the energy deficit of mining companies established in Katanga in the DRC but also to export part of the electrical energy to supply South African industry. Equally, part of the electricity produced should supply the Congolese population. The electrification rate in the DRC is still below 15%.
It is since October 2018 that the two Chinese and Spanish groups had competed for this project as Co-developers. With a production capacity of 11,000 megawatts for an investment cost of 13.9 billion USD, Inga 3 is the first of six phases of the Grand Inga on the Congo River.
