Large-scale project on the outskirts of the capital. The Congolese government estimates the total investment required for the construction of the Kinsuka hydr
opower plant at approximately USD 2.8 billion. The facility will be built on Kwidi Island, in Kongo Central Province, west of Kinshasa, and is expected to be completed within a five-year timeframe. Once operational, it is projected to generate an average annual output of nearly 7,450 gigawatt-hours, addressing fast growing electricity demand in the capital.The project is being developed by Kinsuka Power, a joint venture bringing together Great Lakes Energy, owned by entrepreneur Yves Kabongo, and the Forrest Group through its subsidiary Congo Energy. According to official sources, the project has now cleared all required administrative and regulatory steps to move toward the operational phase.
900 MW of installed capacity to address a structural power deficit
Feasibility studies conducted by the engineering firm Tractebel and validated since 2018 provide for the installation of twelve turbines with a unit capacity of 75 MW, bringing total installed capacity to 900 MW. Of this output, approximately 600 MW are expected to be supplied to mining companies through new high-voltage transmission lines developed by Great Lakes Energy, while the remaining 300 MW will be allocated to the city of Kinshasa.
This distribution reflects the dual objective of the project: supporting the competitiveness of the mining sector, a cornerstone of the Congolese economy, while improving access to reliable electricity for households, public services, and businesses in Kinshasa, which continues to suffer from frequent outages and supply shortages.A project aligned with national energy priorities. Presenting the project briefing from the Minister of Water Resources and Electricity, Aimé Molendo Sakombi, during the Council of Ministers meeting on 6 February 2026, the government emphasized the strategic importance of Kinsuka. The project is intended to significantly reduce Kinshasa’s structural power deficit, enhance national energy security, and increase electricity generation from renewable and competitive sources.The minister nevertheless called for continued government support to facilitate the transition toward the effective launch of construction works. These next steps may include site clearance, completion of the financial closing, and the granting of tax exemptions for the importation of equipment and machinery.Strategic planning supported by integrated energy mapping. Beyond the Kinsuka project itself, the Council of Ministers was also presented with an integrated mapping of the country’s energy and mining sites. This strategic tool combines spatial data from both sectors to support industrial and energy development across the DRC.
The mapping is designed to improve infrastructure planning, identify high-potential and high-risk zones, and facilitate dialogue with technical and financial partners, development banks, and private investors, particularly in the extractive industries. It also aligns with the National Energy Compact, which seeks to accelerate the rollout of transformative projects and modernize governance and digital planning in the energy sector.Kinsuka within a broader hydropower revival strategy. The Kinsuka hydropower plant forms part of a wider effort to revive and expand hydropower generation in the DRC. In early February, the country signed a memorandum of understanding with France for the development of the Inga 3 hydropower project, estimated at approximately USD 14 billion. With a planned capacity of 11,000 MW, Inga 3 is set to become one of the largest energy projects on the African continent and to position the DRC as a future regional electricity export hub.
Within this broader context, Kinsuka stands out as a strategically positioned intermediate project, more rapidly deployable than Inga 3 and directly targeted at addressing local electricity shortages, particularly in Kinshasa.
Financial and governance challenges ahead
Despite its strong ambitions, the success of the Kinsuka project will depend on several critical factors. Achieving financial close in an increasingly selective global financing environment will be decisive. Effective coordination between public authorities and private partners, strict control of timelines, and transparency in project implementation will also be essential to avoid the delays and cost overruns that have plagued major infrastructure projects in the past. Equally important will be the government’s ability to ensure a stable regulatory framework and sustainable tariff mechanisms, both of which are necessary to preserve the project’s financial viability and social acceptability.
A test case for congo’s energy policy
The Kinsuka hydropower plant goes beyond the scope of a single infrastructure project. It represents a critical test for the DRC’s energy policy, at the intersection of urban development, industrialization, and the energy transition.If successfully delivered on schedule and in line with stated objectives, Kinsuka could emerge as a model public-private partnership in the energy sector and a key milestone toward securing a reliable electricity supply for Kinshasa. Failure to do so, however, would risk reinforcing the long-standing challenges that have hindered the country’s ability to translate its vast energy potential into tangible economic and social gains.
