The Democratic Republic of Congo has officially commissioned the Kakobola hydropower plant in Gungu territory, Kwilu province. The facility was inaugurated on March 23, 2026, by Water Resources and Electricity Minister Aimé Sakombi Molendo, the ministry said.

With an installed capacity of 10.5 MW, the run-of-river plant marks a step toward reviving electrification in the region.

The project includes not only the generating unit but also transmission lines, substations and distribution networks to supply Kikwit, Gungu and Idiofa, as well as several rural areas in Kwilu. Earlier reports also mentioned the Catholic missions of Totshi and Aten, along with the village of Butshamba, among the areas to be connected.

The commissioning is expected to ease chronic electricity shortages that have long constrained economic activity in the region. The ministry said the plant could supply power to more than 400,000 people, with potential benefits for small and medium-sized businesses, local trade, and essential services such as health and education. Authorities describe the project as a driver of the provincial economy.

The launch follows repeated delays. At the Makutano Forum on Nov. 26, 2025, Sakombi Molendo said the plant would enter service within 45 to 47 days, which would have put commissioning around January 2026, adding that technical, financial and legal hurdles had been resolved. The government had also authorized a direct procurement procedure to speed up the selection of an operator. No operator has yet been named.

More than a decade after the project began, Kakobola now serves as a test of the country’s energy policy. Its impact will depend on the reliability of production, the expansion of connections and its ability to turn new electricity supply into sustained economic activity in Kwilu.

Boaz Kabeya