Cowater International, a firm based in Ottawa, CA, was picked to conduct the feasibility for a crucial link of the Energy Friendship Loop that connects Angola, Congo Brazzaville, and Congo Kinshasa (DR Congo). The sub-project–a power line–will go from Pointe Noire to Brazzaville (Congo). The related feasibility was launched on January 7, 2025, in Brazzaville. 

Funded by the European Union (EU), the Energy Friendship Loop aims to connect Inga (DR Congo) to Cabinda (Angola), then to Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville (Republic of Congo), before looping back to Kinshasa and Inga in the DRC.

A year ago, a progress report indicated that feasibility studies, detailed designs, and tender documents were already complete for the 307 km Inga-Cabinda-Pointe Noire segment. The same source added that a 400 kV line had already been laid between Inga and Kinshasa. Now, the focus has shifted to designing and tendering the Pointe-Noire-Brazzaville-Kinshasa segment. 

Once all feasibility studies for the project are done, the step will be securing funds and picking construction firms. For now, however, no implementation timetable has been released.

A lever for energy development

The Energy Friendship Loop mainly aims to secure electricity supplies for Brazzaville, Kinshasa, and Cabinda by linking these cities to major power generation hubs like Inga and Pointe-Noire.

According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), Angola has 1.5 GW of unused clean hydropower capacity, forecast at 3.5 GW by 2027. However, the Cabinda province is isolated from Angola's national grid. Thus, Angolan authorities believe connecting with Inga (DRC) is "the most viable short-term solution" to meet the province's energy needs.

It is worth noting, however, that even at full capacity (1,775 MW), the Inga dam struggles to meet local demand. The DRC, according to official figures, has an electrification rate of 21.5% – a situation that the Energy Friendship Loop could help address.

As for the European Union, it believes that the interconnection project will "constitute a major lever for the development of the electricity sector in Central Africa". Indeed, the project could foster more power projects or accelerate the long-stalled Inga III project.

This article was initially published in French by Pierre Mukoko

Edited in English by Ola Schad Akinocho