- The World Energy Council (WEC) has organised a two-day meeting in London to discuss plans for the establishment of Africa's largest and most powerful hydroelectric dam in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Grand Inga project, which costs US $80 billion, is expected to boost Africa's energy supply by up to 30%. Via a giant new distribution system, the Congo river-based dam will transmit power to other African countries, including Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and beyond Africa.
Seven African governments and the world's largest banks and construction companies are brainstorming on feasibility study and establishment of the multi-billion dollar project ahead of its planned start in 2014. The project, which will be built alongside two other existing hydro-electric plants [Inga 1 and Inga 2], is scheduled to begin operations between 2020 and 2025.
It includes a 205m-high dam, 15km-long reservoir and a plant with a capacity to produce 320 terawatt hours of electricity yearly. The project was delayed by war in Africa's vast country.
WEC officials described Grand Inga as the greatest sustainable project that offers Africa a unique chance for interdependence and prosperity, especially now that waring parties agreed to sign peace accord. The project will help rich countries to offset greenhouse gas emissions. It is attracting the attention of several dam-building companies, including those Canadian, Brazilian and Chinese and the World Bank.
For several years, Congo has been exporting electricity but large part of the country, especially the rural communities, are still without electricity.
Right groups and local people feared the project might defeat its purpose and in the end escalated the central African country's debt.
At least 600 million Africans have been without access electricity in Africa. Also 35 out of Africa's 53 countries are at risk of epileptic power supply.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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