Chinese firms Sinohydro and China Railway will provide the Democratic Republic of Congo $660 million required to build Busanga’s 240 MW hydropower plant.

Of this output, 170 MW will serve to power the Société Sino-Congolaise des Mines (Sicomines) while remaining 70 MW will be injected in the domestic power grid. Construction works should take five years according to Sicomines’ estimates.

“This agreement will help accelerate the development of DRC’s power industry which was slowed by a slump in commodity price,” said Moïse Ekanga, spokesperson of Congolese government.

Sicomines which started its activities in November 2015 is already considered by the chamber of mines as Congo’s third copper producer.

Gwladys Johnson