Kinshasa electricity crisis: SNEL faces 600MW power deficit

Kinshasa is facing a severe electricity deficit, with the Société nationale d’électricité (SNEL) reporting that the city requires 1,200 megawatts of power while current injection levels hover around 600 megawatts. SNEL Director General Teddy Lwamba noted that the gap is driven by urban expansion and mining activities, exacerbated by low water levels affecting hydroelectric production between July and mid-October.

To manage the shortage, SNEL has implemented load shedding, rotating power supply across different zones. As a temporary measure, the company is looking into leasing Turkish power ships to provide an additional 134 megawatts.

The Nouvelle société civile congolaise (NSCC) has responded to these developments by demanding that the government and SNEL improve service quality before intensifying the collection of unpaid bills. The NSCC also called for transparency regarding the Turkish ship leasing project, requesting details on contract duration, costs, and the impact on electricity tariffs. The organization emphasized that temporary solutions should not replace long-term investments in power plant rehabilitation and grid modernization.