Power Group Online Article |  | |
3 June 2004 - South Africa's Eskom utility is giving its backing to vast hydroelectric power project on the Congo River. The state-owned firm is planning to work with its counterparts in Botswana, Namibia, Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo in a scheme to rehabilitate and upgrade the Inga plant near the river's mouth.
If fully exploited, the rapids at Inga have the potential to produce twice as much electricity as China's Three Gorges dam and could produce more than enough energy for the whole of Africa. The project would also involve the linking of the continent's four major power grids.
The project foresees the rehabilitation of Inga 1 and 2 which were designed to generate 1775 MW, but which are currently producing less than half this. A third phase could deliver 3500 MW and an even bigger vision for the site foresees the potential for some 39 000 MW of capacity.
Plans are still at a pre-feasibility stage although the five utilities have signed a memorandum of understanding and plan to take a business plan to potential backers by the end of this year.
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