Repeated power outages in the DRC territories of Sakania, Kasenga and Pweto, as well as in the commune of Mokambo in Haut-Katanga province, are linked to a financial dispute between state utility Société nationale d'électricité (SNEL) and Zambian power company ZESCO.

At the 11th edition of the ExpoBeton forum, held May 27-30, 2026 in Kalemie, Hydraulic and Electrical Resources Minister Aimé Molendo Sakombi said the dispute centers on a claim estimated at $33 million. SNEL disputes the claim, saying the alleged debt has not been substantiated, the minister said.

In February and again in May 2026, the Zambian company suspended electricity supply to several localities in Haut-Katanga, citing unpaid obligations and issues related to the contractual framework between the two companies.

Also speaking at the forum, SNEL's director of studies and planning, Albéric Tukuzu, said the outages were carried out in violation of established procedures. Congolese authorities moved quickly to limit disruptions and reduce the affected communities' reliance on imported electricity, he said.

Alternatives

Generators have already been deployed to maintain supply in the affected areas, Tukuzu said. He added that SNEL's studies and planning department has completed assessments for the installation of two 2-MW solar power plants intended to serve Mokambo and Pweto. The facilities will operate on a hybrid energy system combining solar power and generators.

As explained at the forum, solar panels will generate electricity during periods of sufficient sunlight. When solar conditions are inadequate, generators will provide backup power and recharge the batteries. The hybrid setup is expected to provide up to 22 hours of electricity per day in the affected areas.

For Sakania, Tukuzu said a separate solution is under way, involving the construction of an approximately four-kilometer power line that would allow the town to be supplied from an alternative energy source.

SNEL has described these projects as transitional measures aimed at strengthening energy resilience in border areas, pending the implementation of longer-term solutions.

According to media reports, the 2026 outages are not an isolated occurrence. Similar episodes were recorded in the same border zone as early as 2016, also in the context of debt disputes involving ZESCO.

Timothée Manoke