Congo-Brazzaville plans to commence the construction of a major new hydroelectric dam in January 2025, as announced by the government on Wednesday.
At a press conference, government spokesman Thierry Moungalla stated that the Ministry of Energy and Hydraulics has entered into a memorandum of understanding with China Overseas Co Ltd to develop the Sounda site.
Moungalla expressed that the long-awaited project to enhance electricity production is finally materialising to bolster the country’s electricity supply. The government aims to construct a dam in the country’s southern region to generate 600 to 800 megawatts of electricity. The construction work is scheduled to be finished by June 2030.
As confirmed by Moungalla, the project is estimated to cost around $9.4 billion and will be financed by China.
In 2011, Beijing also funded the construction of the Imboulou hydroelectric dam north of the capital, Brazzaville. According to the US Energy Information Agency, it is currently the largest dam in the country, with a capacity of 120 MW.
Congo-Brazzaville’s major cities, Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, experience frequent power cuts, which the minister attributes to poor governance by the public operator responsible for managing the electricity.
Since gaining independence in 1960, China has constructed three hydroelectric dams in the country, including the Imboulou Dam in the south, the Moukoukoulou Dam in the north, and the Liouesso Dam in the south.