DRC hydro-power project back on track

The DRC’s ambassador to Ethiopia and the AU has hinted that construction of the Inga 3 hydro-power project could start by the end of the year. ‘We believe in the coming month we will see concrete steps towards implementation,’ Jean Le'on Ilunga told News24. DRC President Felix Tshisekedi has listed Inga as one of the infrastructure projects that the country would like to push during its year as AU chair. Tshisekedi took over from President Cyril Ramaphosa last weekend. He noted that the project had already seen an eight-year delay as financiers and technicians addressed the best options. Pretoria signed a MoU with the DRC in 2013 that is expected to see 2 500MW (about 5%) added to SA’s energy mix by 2030. However, if construction doesn't start by 2023, the agreement will lapse unless the parties agree to extend it.