Democratic Republic of Congo's Kakobola hydroelectric plant will be commissioned within the next 47 days, by January 2026, the minister of water resources and electricity said on Wednesday.

Aimé Sakombi Molendo announced the timeline for the 10.5-megawatt plant during the Makutano Forum. The infrastructure, whose construction began in 2010, is intended to supply power to the cities of Kikwit, Idiofa and Gungu, as well as the Catholic missions of Totshi and Aten, and the village of Butshamba in Kwilu province.

He said a note was being presented to the Council of Ministers this Friday to select an operator. "There was a lot of legal contention. To move forward, we have asked the government to authorize us to use Article 39 for a direct agreement," Molendo said. "This clears the way and the operator can directly take over this plant."

According to the minister, the final technical and financial prerequisites were resolved through the direct intervention of the President of the Republic, paving the way for the project's completion.

On the ground, the connection of households and businesses is ongoing. The construction of transmission lines and distribution networks was announced during the Council of Ministers on May 23, 2025.

Molendo also indicated that, ahead of the launch, a visit by the head of state is planned between Dec. 9 and Dec. 13 in the Kakobola area. This visit is expected to mark one of the final institutional steps before the plant becomes operational.

Boaz Kabeya