A significant step was taken to address the lack of energy that has hindered development in many African countries: The World Bank has approved $250 million as the first phase of a $1 billion investment in a large hydroelectric dam in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Plans for the Grand Inga dam complex—a network of hydropower dams on the Congo River—envision generation capability of 40,000 MW or more. Two dams, Inga 1 and Inga 2, with a combined generating capacity of nearly 2,000 MW already exist. The new World Bank funding is directed toward building the next dam in the network, Inga 3, which will have a generating capacity of up to 10,000 MW.
