DRC Advances Structuring of 40,000 MW Grand Inga Hydropower Project
DRC President Tshisekedi Reviews Grand Inga Project Structure as 40,000 MW Hydropower Target Remains in Focus
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has advanced discussions on the structuring of the proposed Grand Inga hydropower project, with President Félix Tshisekedi directing officials to prioritise the welfare of local communities as the government works towards developing what could become one of the world’s largest hydropower schemes.
Tshisekedi chaired a strategic meeting in Kinshasa on October 8, attended by Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, National Assembly President Aimé Boji and officials from the Agency for the Development and Promotion of the Grand Inga Project (ADPI), the body responsible for overseeing the initiative.
Discussions focused on options for structuring the project and their environmental and social implications, including how development could affect communities living in the surrounding areas.
The President instructed ADPI to ensure that the needs and living conditions of local populations are protected alongside the project’s energy and economic objectives.
The directive highlights the importance of addressing potential resettlement, compensation and community impacts, which could influence the project’s development costs, implementation schedule and ability to secure financing.
Grand Inga is intended to harness the vast hydropower potential of the Congo River to expand electricity access in the DRC and supply power to other African markets.
The long-term target is approximately 40,000 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity. Authorities have also cited the potential to create up to eight million jobs, although these remain projected benefits rather than confirmed outcomes.
The project could help address the DRC’s substantial electricity-access gap while providing power for industrial development, mining, mineral processing and regional electricity trade.
However, reaching the full capacity target will require substantial investment, detailed technical and environmental planning, financing arrangements and the development of transmission infrastructure to deliver electricity to consumers within the DRC and across the continent.
ADPI Director-General Bob Mabiala announced that the agency was recruiting a project director through funding provided by the World Bank.
The position is expected to oversee the project’s implementation, from structuring through to engagement with potential investors.
The appointment is an important next step in moving the initiative from the evaluation of development options towards more detailed project management and investment planning.
Grand Inga has been developed in phases, with Inga 3 among the proposed components intended to advance the wider scheme.
The DRC’s Ministry of Planning has previously outlined a phased development approach, reflecting the technical and financial complexity of exploiting the site’s estimated hydropower potential.
The project remains a long-term undertaking, and the latest meeting did not announce a construction timetable, final investment decision or confirmed financing package.
For the DRC, successful development of Grand Inga could expand domestic electricity supply, support mining and industrial growth, and strengthen the country’s position as a potential major electricity supplier to regional markets.
Its progress will depend on the resolution of financing, infrastructure, environmental and social challenges.
