Kinshasa, 28 mars 2023(ACP).- The electrification of the cities of Kikwit, Gungu and Idiofa, in the province of Kwilu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is planned for the end of the current year, announced Tuesday, the Minister of Hydraulic Resources and Electricity.
“The electrification of the cities of Kikwit, Gungu and Idiofa, in the province of Kwilu, is scheduled for the end of the current year, thanks to the completion of the Kakobola hydroelectric dam, of 10.5 megawatts. The challenges, there are many. It is about continuing the foundation work that we had placed and finalizing the projects initiated: the Kakobola hydroelectric dam project that we absolutely want to complete this year. We absolutely want the people of Gungu, Kikwit and Idiofa to see the light this year,” said Minister Mwenze Mukaleng, on his return from New York, to the USA.
Started in 2011, according to experts, work on the Kakobola dam carried out by the Indian company Angélique Internationale as part of Indo-Congolese cooperation, stopped before resuming in 2020.
Currently, the plant has been commissioned and the work in progress consists of the construction of electricity transmission lines as well as the installation of medium voltage and domestic networks in the centers and agglomerations of Kikwit, Gungu and Idiofa .
In addition to the Kakobola dam, the minister also mentioned the resumption of work on the Katende hydroelectric power plant, 64 megawatts in the province of Kasaï central, but whose work has also stopped since 2012. On this subject, the minister said hope that the Indian government, partner of the DRC in this project, will appoint a contractor to take over the work of Katende. This last hydroelectric plant is planned to serve the provinces of Kasai, Kasai Central and Kasai Oriental.
In addition, the government has initiated several projects in this sector, he said, referring to the local development project of the 145 territories (PDL-145T) of the DRC.
Minister Mwenze was returning from New York where he had attended a conference on water, organized by the UN. It aimed, according to him, to address the issues of water and sanitation management. The conference had also made it possible to take stock, water having become an increasingly rare resource, but of which the DRC has great potential, according to the minister who pointed out that the conference on water in New York had scrutinized issues related to the 2025 and 2030 goals.
ACP KHM/ ODM