The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the largest country in Central Africa with an estimated population of 81 million. Less than 8 million homes and businesses have access to electricity.
In 2023, NRECA International was contracted by Nuru, a company dedicated to increase power access for the people in the DRC, to review designs, supervise construction, and validate the performance of power plants and distribution networks for the company’s metrogrid projects. In 2020, Nuru deployed the country’s first solar-based metrogrid in the city of Goma, which is also the largest solar hybrid minigrid in sub-Saharan Africa. The NRECA International team will undertake the role of Owner Engineer, for the metrogrid in Kindu and the expansion of the Goma metrogrid, more than doubling its capacity. These projects will result in 9,000 new electrical connections served by more than 5 MW of solar installations and 8 MWh of battery systems.
In 2021-2022, NRECA International worked with the l’Unité de Coordination et de Management des projets du ministère de l’énergie et ressources hydrauliques (UCM), the coordinating department of the DRC’s Ministry of Energy and Hydrological Resources, to implement the National Geospatial Least Cost Electrification Plan. This project evaluated how to cost effectively serve 121 urban and semi-urban agglomerations with reliable and affordable power supply. The team developed a geospatial platform to evaluate how large isolated solar powered metrogrids including distribution infrastructure can be extended to connect population and business centers within these key cities to further spur economic growth.
In addition, NRECA International also supported Moyi Power, to perform a feasibility study and 20 year financial modeling of construction, operation, and expansion of three solar hybrid metrogrids in Gemena, Bunia, and Isiro. The facilities will include 18 MW of solar and 50 MWh of battery systems to serve tens of thousands of new consumers. The study provided Moyi Power with a strategy to develop, finance, and serve the electricity needs of these key communities.
Partners
- l’Unité de Coordination et de Management des projets du ministère de l’énergie et ressources hydrauliques (UCM)
- Moyi Power
- Nuru