Investment Feasibility Study On Inga Hydropower Project

Scarcity of infrastructure in Southern Africa has been a severe constraint on the social and economic development in the region as well as a huge obstacle for the modernization.Approximately one of the sixth of the world’s known hydraulic resources has been taken up by the Congo basin,which holds the leading theoretical hydro potential of 390GW among all rivers.The Congo River is potentially available for 156GW of installed capacity and annual generation of 964.0TWh,but only 7%of the potential has been developed.Rational development and utilization of hydropower resources in the Congo Basin will not only accelerate development of Southern Africa,but will also contribute to the sustainable development of the global economy.This paper mainly discusses power development in Congo-Kinshasa based on the future load forecast of Southern Africa and holds that the demand and consumption in the region’s power market is available for power generation from large hydropower projects.It is appropriate to suggest that the abundant hydro recourses in the Congo River shall be fully utilized by reasonably determining the developing phases of the Inca Project based on technical and economic comparison according to the power market and construction of the project.The Inga Project is designed to be built of 43GW,a scale that may greatly boost the social and economic development of Congo-Kinshasa and even Southern Africa.This paper discusses the Project’s basics with a view to the project’s construction conditions and design programs,identifies the optimized transmission approaches based on comparison between transmission approaches according to the project’s design program and transmission programs.The paper also provides initial investment estimates and financial analysis of the project with a view to the project’s design programs.Given the Inga Project’s immense investment and long construction period,constraints on power market,distribution and transmission,as well as requirements on environmental protection,this paper preliminarily discusses three main potential risks regarding engineering,environment and investment.Building hydropower plants is a great boost for the local social and economical development as well as one of the sources for local clean energy.The research on the feasibility study of the Inga Hydropower Project has to be in line with market demand,scientific method and sustainable approach for the purpose of promoting social and economical development in Southern Africa.