Hydropower is an intriguing way to generate electricity. The flow of the water spins turbines to generate an electric current that provides sustainable, reliable, and renewable energy. (Water School). The natural cycle of water allows for “easy” access to power, as long as the infrastructure is in place. Installing a hydropower plant is very costly and time consuming but over time hydropower pays for itself, being one of the most cost effective methods in producing energy. The DRC’s lack of economic and technological growth has caused a struggle for development. Even as of 2018, only around 9% of Congolese people had access to electricity; 95% of that electricity is produced hydroelectrically — only tapping into roughly 2.5% of hydropower potential (Africa Power Facts 2020). Today, roughly 16% of Congolese people have access to power. Apart from these issues, it is valuable to remember the past of foreign infrastructure in order to understand today. The exploration of nature’s gift in the DRC is one of political, economic, and social difficulties and hopes.

the power behind hydro

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country in Africa in a unique situation. It is in Stage 2 of the Demographic Transition Model; around 80% (61.6 million) of Congolese people live in extreme poverty with poor infrastructure. Women are having many children (4.5 per woman) in order to sustain their homes with income, but inadequate food supply, healthcare, and education hinder everyone’s development and thus delay their economic contribution to society (Jordan, Brandon: Keysa 2018). Without newer technologies the economy will mirror that of a Stage 2 country. However, as Jared Diamond coined the term, “geographic luck,” the DRC shows major potential in harnessing a great amount of energy for electricity to turn this country into one of greater production and improve the lives of the Congolese people. The Congo River is the second longest river in Africa, the deepest and second fastest river in the world, and holds an immense amount of potential energy for the development of the Congo (Sawe 2018).

Despite demography, Belgian colonizers are behind the scenes in this power scheme. Colonization takes responsibility for the existing infrastructure as this mindset shows continuity even today. Although controversial, the Congo has been in the midst of this ambitious enterprise for utilizing the land’s precious opportunity for hydropower.

THE HISTORY

In 1885 the Europeans divided Africa amongst themselves to claim already inhabited lands. The Belgians claimed the Congo. When the Belgians realized that the Congo River could generate significant amounts of electricity, a project called Inga 1 was launched in the hydropower pursuit in hopes that it could power major industries. (Wikipedia). Situated at Inga Falls, Inga 1 is a dam that started running in 1972 to produce hydroelectricity. Over time, more Inga projects were strategized, including the Grand Inga Hydroelectric Project of 2015.(Review 2019). Multiple foreign powers took charge in attempts to push hydroelectric success, including the United States.

Take a closer look into these projects and their histories of the various countries that influenced Congo hydropower plans by checking out this Story Map:

Now that you know more about the hydropower project history of the Congo, let’s explore some of their challenges and alternative means for producing electricity.

Problems

Despite hopes, controversial issues arise. The argument to monetary costs is: as the water cycle naturally replenishes rivers with water, each year the project will pay for itself. Another thing — building a hydropower plant can take up to eight years; impeding production and a stronger form of economic participation in a capitalist world can be costly. Apart from the large initial monetary and timely costs, scientists point to a greater threat. Ecological damage is greatly undermined because hydropower is seen as a clean, renewable source. Hydropower uses man-made dams to stop the natural flow of water to be manually controlled when electricity needs to be generated. Dams keep nutrients and sediments from flowing through the river, starving fish and other animals which can destroy an entire ecosystem. This also prevents migratory fish from their usual destinations, disrupting patterns in a specific area — as patterns get unsettled, the chain of natural interactions is delayed and destroyed (Rivers 2020).

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has gotten pushback from various groups who promote other forms for creating electricity: solar and wind power. One group, International Rivers, whose headquarters is based in California, United States and has offices in Latin America, Asia, and Africa, condemns Inga 3 development and has labeled Inga 1 and Inga 2 as “disastrous, corruption-laden projects” blaming them for the displacement of thousands of people and country debt while only 16% of Congolese people have access to electricity as of 2020. This poses new research and data for switching to solar and wind as renewable energy. The claims threaten hydropower in the Congo. Check out the data:

• Numbers: The Grand Inga Complex (Inga 1, 2, and 3) only contains 40 GW (gigawatts) of potential while solar power claims 70 GW and wind at 15 GW throughout the DRC.
• Cost: solar and wind generation are great cost competitors with hydropower, nearing $0.07 per kWh (1,000 watts of power per hour, or 3,600,000 Joules of energy, costs around 7 cents).
• Reliability: solar and wind can create a stable supply of energy and reach broader areas of the DRC while existing hydropower could aid in electric generation gaps. (Deshmukh 2017).

These counter arguments against hydropower as a main source of electricity makes the DRC’s outlook on energy much more than just turning to the Congo River. Solar panels and wind turbines are competitors that groups are pushing into the energy agendas to avoid ecological damage.

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what we know today.

The hydropower initiative has taken hard hits throughout Congo history whether it be the internal conflicts with the economic and social state of the country, or external impediments such as environmental activists or the South African non-commitment. Development is still a work in progress while the land holds its tantalizing amount of energy potential. The hopes for providing electricity for the continent of Africa is still a dream and has yet to be pursued; however, the hydropower projects have been slowing down and almost dormant over the recent decades. From the weakness of governmental authority to the strength of life’s gift of water, the Congo’s power struggle runs from both sides of the spectrum.

Sources

Water School, Hydroelectric Power: How It Works, USGS, Science For a Changing World. Link.

Keysa, Kimberly, Facts About Poverty in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Borgen Project, 2018. Link.

Africa, Power, Power Africa Fact Sheet, USAID, 2020. Link.

Sawe, Benjamin, The World’s Fastest Rivers, WorldAtlas, 2018. Link.

Rivers, International, Congo, Wired Impact, 2020. Link.

Review, Hydro, Grand Inga Hydropower Project, Clarion Events, 2019. Link.

Jordan, Brandon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Weebly. Link.

Deshmukh, Mileva, Wu, Renewable Riches: How Wind and Solar Could Power DRC and South Africa, International Rivers, 2017. Link.

Wikipedia, Inga Dams, Belgian Plan, 2020. Link.