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Grand Designs: Assessing the African Energy Security Implications of the Grand Inga Dam

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2015

Nathaniel Green ,
Benjamin K. Sovacool  and
Kathleen Hancock
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Abstract:

In May 2013 the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced that construction of the world’s largest hydroelectric project will begin in October 2015. Upon completion, according to the DRC, the project will bring electricity to half the African continent. With funding from South Africa, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and others, the U.S.$80 billion Grand Inga Hydroelectric project will construct a 44,000 megawatt (MW) dam anchored to a new transmission network able to distribute electricity to all four of sub-Saharan Africa’s regional electricity power pools. While the dam promises to bring electricity to many millions of Africans who currently lack access, the project also poses risks to the citizens and environment of the DRC. To assess the complex tradeoffs, this article evaluates four dimensions that are part of an energy security framework: availability, affordability, efficiency, and stewardship. In doing so, it explores some of the governance challenges that arise in managing such a “mega-project.” The analysis also reveals tensions between national and regional energy security. It presents evidence that, under certain assumptions, the pursuit of enhanced security at the regional level may result in a net security loss for the DRC. Finally, the article provides suggestions for enhancing the decision-making process of those designing related national and regional energy strategies.

Résumé:

En mai 2013, la République démocratique du Congo (RDC) a annoncé que la construction du plus grand projet hydroélectrique du monde débutera en octobre 2015. Une fois terminé, selon la RDC, le projet apportera de l'électricité à la moitié du continent africain. Grâce au financement de l'Afrique du Sud, la Banque mondiale, la Banque africaine de développement et d'autres, le projet hydroélectrique du Grand Inga, évalué à 80 milliards de dollars, construira un barrage qui produira 44000 mégawatts (MW) et qui sera ancré à un nouveau réseau en mesure de distribuer de l'électricité aux quatre pôles régionaux électriques de l'Afrique subsaharienne. Bien que le barrage promette d'apporter de l'électricité à des millions d'Africains qui n’y ont pas actuellement accès, le projet pose aussi des risques pour les citoyens de la RDC et pour l’environnement. Pour évaluer les compromis complexes en jeu, nous analysons quatre dimensions du projet qui font partie du cadre de la sécurité énergétique: disponibilité, accessibilité, efficacité, et intendance. Ce faisant, nous explorons aussi quelques uns des défis de gouvernance qui se posent dans la gestion d’un tel “méga projet.” Notre analyse révèle également des tensions entre la sécurité énergétique nationale et régionale. Nous constatons que, sous certaines hypothèses, la poursuite de l’amélioration de la sécurité énergétique au niveau régional pourrait aboutir à une perte nette de sécurité au niveau national pour la RDC. En conclusion, l’article offre des suggestions à prendre en compte dans le processus de prise de décision de ceux qui conçoivent les stratégies énergétiques connexes au niveau national et régional.

Keywords

Hydroelectricityenergy and developmentenergy securityDemocratic Republic of Congo
Type
ARTICLES
Information
African Studies Review , Volume 58 , Issue 1 , April 2015 , pp. 133 - 158
Copyright
Copyright © African Studies Association 2015 

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