Modernisation and Digitisation of Major Switchgear Control System in the Congo
Financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through Germany’s state-owned development bank, KfW.
Image for illustration purposes.
A critical substation linked to the Inga I and II hydropower plants (HPPs) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has undergone modernisation and digitisation, enabling the country to fully harness the potential of these recently upgraded facilities.
Located on the Congo River, the HPPs, with a combined installed capacity of 1.7 GW, are the DRC’s primary energy sources, generating 90 per cent of the electricity consumed in the capital, Kinshasa. The modernisation project received EUR200 million in funding. An additional EUR4 million was invested to connect four turbines at the HPPs to the new, advanced switchgear control system. The control centre in Kinshasa now has direct access to the Inga II substation, allowing for early detection and resolution of faults, thereby stabilising the power grid and minimising energy losses.
Source: PowerLiine
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