Dave Evans
Regular
25/04/2024
MinesPublished May 25, 2024
Lack of vision and trial and error on the electrification policy in the DRC, Congolese civil society is worried. Gathered within the Wakisha collective, 18 organizations that are members of this platform, sent an open letter to President Félix Tshisekedi, following the signing of a new agreement on Inga 3.
Contents
Never-succeeded energy projectsSaïbe Kabila
In its correspondence, the collective "Wakisha" expressed its concerns about the signing of a new memorandum of understanding on Inga 3, a mega project to build a new dam with a minimum capacity of about 7,000 megawatts.
Sponsored by the Agency for the Development and Promotion of the Grand Inga Project (ADPI-RDC), the realization of this ambitious project was entrusted to Natural Oilfield Services (NOFLS), a Nigerian oil and gas company. But, this company, explains the collective, is not able to conduct such a type of project.
"Based on preliminary research, it seems that the company would have no experience in the construction of hydroelectric power plants," wrote Wakisha, who noted that President Tshisekedi's vision for the energy sector and particularly for the enhancement of the DRC's energy potential is "inconstant".
For the collective, the vision of the President of the Republic is tinged with many trial and errors to overcome the challenge of increasing the rate of access to electricity to strengthen the development of the economic fabric of the DRC.
In this regard, Wakisha notes that the memorandum of understanding with Natural Oilfield Services, tries to extend "the list of a dark past of the intentions of the development of Grand Inga potential", without a real technical evaluation of the project and its impact.
"The Wakisha campaign is deeply concerned and says its fear that this memorandum of understanding may be an initiative that extends the list of projects with no future such as the WESTCOR, BHP Billiton, AECOM and EDF project and so many other initiatives," said the collective in this document, a copy of which has reached MINES.CD.
Thus, for the collective, "It is essential that the country's institutions put an end to public exhibitions of signatures of memoranda of understanding that often prove to be devoid of monitoring and impact".
In addition to the call for the design of an integrated plan for the development of energy resources, the Wakisha collective recommends to the Congolese government the development of clear and stable energy policies that encourage investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, while ensuring fair energy pricing.
According to the "Wakisha" collective, faced with the failure found in the implementation of the projects on Inga 3, the Congolese Government should look at the diversification of the energy mix and an increased capitalization on renewable energy sources (such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, and biomass) to guarantee the stability of supply, and to develop a more sustainable, resilient and adapted energy system to future challenges.
mines.cd
DRC: Félix Tshisekedi questioned about the absence of an electrification vision after the signing of a new agreement on Inga 3
Last updated: 2024/05/25 at 9:46 AMMinesPublished May 25, 2024
Lack of vision and trial and error on the electrification policy in the DRC, Congolese civil society is worried. Gathered within the Wakisha collective, 18 organizations that are members of this platform, sent an open letter to President Félix Tshisekedi, following the signing of a new agreement on Inga 3.
Contents
Never-succeeded energy projectsSaïbe Kabila
In its correspondence, the collective "Wakisha" expressed its concerns about the signing of a new memorandum of understanding on Inga 3, a mega project to build a new dam with a minimum capacity of about 7,000 megawatts.
Sponsored by the Agency for the Development and Promotion of the Grand Inga Project (ADPI-RDC), the realization of this ambitious project was entrusted to Natural Oilfield Services (NOFLS), a Nigerian oil and gas company. But, this company, explains the collective, is not able to conduct such a type of project.
"Based on preliminary research, it seems that the company would have no experience in the construction of hydroelectric power plants," wrote Wakisha, who noted that President Tshisekedi's vision for the energy sector and particularly for the enhancement of the DRC's energy potential is "inconstant".
For the collective, the vision of the President of the Republic is tinged with many trial and errors to overcome the challenge of increasing the rate of access to electricity to strengthen the development of the economic fabric of the DRC.
Never-succeeded energy projects
Over the past six years, at least four major memoranda of understanding have been signed between the DRC and various companies for the development and construction of energy infrastructure on Inga 3. These projects should in principle solve the recurring problem of the energy deficit despite the great energy potential available to the DRC.In this regard, Wakisha notes that the memorandum of understanding with Natural Oilfield Services, tries to extend "the list of a dark past of the intentions of the development of Grand Inga potential", without a real technical evaluation of the project and its impact.
"The Wakisha campaign is deeply concerned and says its fear that this memorandum of understanding may be an initiative that extends the list of projects with no future such as the WESTCOR, BHP Billiton, AECOM and EDF project and so many other initiatives," said the collective in this document, a copy of which has reached MINES.CD.
Thus, for the collective, "It is essential that the country's institutions put an end to public exhibitions of signatures of memoranda of understanding that often prove to be devoid of monitoring and impact".
In addition to the call for the design of an integrated plan for the development of energy resources, the Wakisha collective recommends to the Congolese government the development of clear and stable energy policies that encourage investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, while ensuring fair energy pricing.
According to the "Wakisha" collective, faced with the failure found in the implementation of the projects on Inga 3, the Congolese Government should look at the diversification of the energy mix and an increased capitalization on renewable energy sources (such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, and biomass) to guarantee the stability of supply, and to develop a more sustainable, resilient and adapted energy system to future challenges.
Saïbe Kabila
RDC: Félix Tshisekedi interpellé sur l'absence d'une vision d'électrification après la signature d'un nouvel accord sur Inga 3 - MINES.CD - Premier média congolais du secteur minier
Absence de vision et tâtonnement sur la politique d’électrification en RDC, la société civile congolaise s’inquiète. Réunies au sein du collectif Wakisha, 18 organisations membre de cette plateforme, ont adressé une lettre ouverte au Président Félix Tshisekedi, à la suite de la signature d’un...
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