Chapter 3: Outl00k


The main reason for the funding of the transmission lines falling through is that in order for these lines to be built, huge corridors of forests would need to be cleared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is home to the world’s second largest rainforest. With the SDGs taking centre focus, no more international funding was forthcoming for projects that have such a considerable environmental impact. This puts a spanner in the works for the success of Grand Inga, as the initial hype surrounding the project was to generate energy for the whole continent. Furthermore, other ecological impacts of the project itself are coming under the spotlight. Due to nutrient and sediment trapping, losses in the mid-Atlantic plume are anticipated, which would have a negative impact on coastal fisheries. Furthermore, it was necessary to divert the river to create a reservoir, which flooded the Bundi valley. This has had a disastrous impact on agricultural productivity and has also resulted in high amounts of methane emissions – the ecosystem asset that was once a carbon sink is now becoming a source of carbon. This flooded area has also provided the perfect breeding ground for water-borne vectors like mosquitoes. The incidence of malaria in the area is therefore on the rise.


With pressure building on the Chinese to meet the SDGs, the developer eventually withdraws from the Grand Inga project in 2028, leaving it half-finished and at risk of becoming a stranded asset. However, all hope is not lost. A technology company in Lagos has recently developed a cable that can transmit power, but which does not require the extensive transmission lines of traditional cables. With finance pouring in from all around the world, the first major development project using this technology is for electricity distribution from the existing Inga dams, that together amount to 20 000 megawatts, which was the grid-based capacity of West Africa in 2012 (International Energy Agency 2014). The electrification of Congolese cities and villages – as well as those in Zambia and Angola – has sparked a revolution in adding value to the agricultural products that were previously being exported without processing. The people that were displaced by the construction of the dam, and who were left largely without livelihoods, are now able to take part in this new industry that is creating many new jobs. By 2063, agro-processing for both domestic and export consumption is the primary economic activity in the sub-region, and it has led to job creation and prosperity for many.


Less than the projected 50 per cent of the Congo River’s annual discharge had been diverted by 2030, which means that the ecological integrity of the river system has remained largely intact. Furthermore, a new technology that allows for the release of sediment and nutrients from dams has been incorporated into the most recent dams, so the Atlantic plume has not suffered the anticipated losses. A Mozambican hydroelectric company that made its name in turning Cahora Bassa into a flagship project for the country has been brought in to train the local team on best management practices for hydroelectric facilities. This knowledge sharing within the region has started southern Africa down the promised path towards more peaceful relations, as was one of the original aims of the Grand Inga project.


Source: International Rivers 2015


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