DRC government plans Kakobola 2 hydropower project to expand electricity supply in Kwilu

Kikwit March 28, 2026 - The Congolese government is considering the construction of a second hydroelectric facility, Kakobola 2, following the commissioning of the Kakobola Dam in Kikwit. The proposed project, announced on March 26 in Bandundu by Water Resources Minister Aimé Molendo Sakombi, would be located about two kilometers from the existing site in Gungu territory. It is expected to generate 15 megawatts of electricity, increasing the overall production capacity of the Kakobola complex to approximately 25 megawatts. Officials say technical studies for Kakobola 2 have already been completed, and construction could be finalized within two years. The project is estimated to cost around 55 million US dollars for the plant itself, with an additional 40 million dollars earmarked for transmission infrastructure. The current Kakobola facility has already begun supplying electricity to nearly 20,000 households, with authorities presenting the expansion as part of a broader strategy to improve energy access across Kwilu province. According to government projections, the new infrastructure is expected to support not only residential electrification but also public services and local economic activity, including schools, hospitals, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Minister Sakombi described the project as a key step in transforming the province’s economic ecosystem, emphasizing plans to extend electricity access to productive sectors such as agro-processing and milling activities. The initiative forms part of a wider national energy expansion agenda aimed at strengthening infrastructure in rural and semi-urban areas, following the official inauguration of the Kakobola dam by President Félix Tshisekedi.