The impending decision by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to change its project mandate for the Inga 3 hydropower development is likely to affect the Western Power Corridor (Westcor) project, said CE Dr Pat Naidoo late last month.
The Inga project was initially identified as the most significant hydropower project in Africa.

Inga site development studies in the past recommended the construction of four hydroelectric power stations in two phases.

The first phase concerned the construction of three power stations in the Nkokolo valley, namely lnga 1 (351 MW, commissioned in 1972), Inga 2 (1 424 MW, commissioned in 1982) and Inga 3 (about 5 000 MW).

The second phase would see the construction of the Grand Inga power station, with a total capacity of 39 000 MW, to be equipped progressively with 52 generators of 750 MW each.

“The DRC would like to continue with the development of Inga 3 on its own to cater for the energy demand of BHP Billiton’s planned smelter. “They will develop the power stations themselves, which is highly unlikely, and we are currently confused about how this matter will be resolved. I am hoping that, in the end, sanity will prevail,” said Naidoo.

He was speaking at an event hosted by the South African Institute for Electrical Engineers and added that Westcor had no recourse to prevent the DRC from developing the project on its own and that the matter would now be handed over to the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Westcor was established in 2003 as national power pro- ducers from the DRC, South Africa, Angola, Botswana and Namibia decided to explore renewable-energy options in the SADC.

Of the 5 000 MW which would have initially been pro- vided by the Inga 3 project, about 3 000 MW would have gone to South Africa, 1 000 MW to the DRC and the remaining 1 000 MW would have been shared by the other project shareholders.

“With Inga 3, we found that the energy is natural, renewable and can generate its own cash flow. “We are building a pure cash machine and, once we start the project, it guarantees self finance,” noted Naidoo.

He stated that an argument for the joint development of the Inga 3 project would be presented to the SADC at its meeting this month, after which the project would, hopefully, be reinstated.

“But, if we cannot, then we will move on and do other schemes,” Naidoo said.

Westcor has also requested a new mandate from its shareholders in terms of which it would request permission from the SADC to approach Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia for concessions to explore the development of potential sites along the Zambezi and Intombi rivers.

“These river systems are much closer to us. We left them behind at the time [of the Inga development] because of the Zimbabwe issue, but we believe that Zimbabwe has made some progress and we can return to the Zambezi,” Naidoo said.

Westcor would also look to develop the 6 000-MW Cuanza river hydropower project, in Angola, and the 1 600-MW lower Kunene river hydropower project, in Namibia.

However, Naidoo warned that all remaining African hydropower projects were rela- tively small, making them uneconomical. “We will investigate the other small ones, but you will find that in the economics of things, they do not have the economies of scale to make the push.”

As Westcor only had a renew- able-energy mandate, it would not be able to participate in any nuclear or thermal coal projects, once all renewable- energy resources had been investigated.

He noted that, if the DRC did not come to the party regarding the Inga 3 project, and if other renewable projects were not identified before March 31, 2010, Westcor would disband.

“Our mandate [ends on] March 31 next year. If we are not moving by then, then we will close ope- rations. We can’t incur costs because we are dealing with public money.”