Name of the Project
Grand Inga hydropower project.

Location
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Project Owner/s
DRC government.

Project Description
The project, which will be located on the Congo river, is expected to have a capacity of 44 000 MW once all the phases are complete.

The dam will be built in six phases.

Inga 1 (1 351 MW) and Inga 2 (1 424 MW) were commissioned in 1972 and 1982 respectively.

Inga 3 could potentially generate between 2 GW and 11 GW of power.

The construction of the successive phases of Grand Inga will hinge on the availability of a market and funding for the projects. 

South Africa is expected to buy 2 500 MW of Inga 3’s capacity.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Capital Expenditure
Inga 3 is expected to cost an estimated $13.9-billion to $17.9-billion to complete. The development of the project will be implemented through a public–private partnership.

The cost of the entire project is estimated at between $50-billion and $80-billion.

Planned Start/End Date
Inga 3 has been delayed by about eight years and has been in the pipeline for decades. The project’s scale and its technical and stakeholder complexity will result in its preparation and construction taking about a decade.

Latest Developments
The World Bank board of executive directors approved a $250-million credit from the International Development Association on June 3 as the first phase of a $1-billion Inga 3 Development Program. 

This long-term programme is a multiphase approach that will help the DRC lay the foundations for the sustainable development of Inga 3, starting with investments in local people, infrastructure and jobs.

The first phase of the Inga 3 Development Program will focus on local development opportunities in Kongo Central to improve the living conditions and the economic prospects of about 100 communities (1.2-million people) living close to Inga. These communities will directly benefit from improved basic services and infrastructure that they have prioritised, including clean water, distributed renewable energy and rural roads. Skills development and higher education and training will build local capacity to fill jobs created by Inga.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
Embassy of DRC in South Africa, tel +27 12 344 6475 and fax +27 12 344 4054.