Engineering firm China Overseas Corporation will begin construction of the 800 MW Sounda Hydropower Plant – one of the largest dams in the Republic of the Congo – in the first half of 2025. Located in the Kouilou district roughly 130 km from Pointe-Noire, the project is slated for completion by 2030.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on September 11 by the Republic of the Congo’s Minister of Energy and Hydraulics Émile Ouosso and China Overseas Corporation CEO Li Xi Zhen. The MoU outlines a detailed activity plan to officially launch the project.
“We will deliver exceptional work, just as we have in other countries. This will be a powerful and outstanding dam,” said Li Xi Zhen.
A site visit is scheduled for the end of September 2024 to evaluate the project plan and infrastructure needs. This will be followed by the creation of a Steering Committee and a Technical Committee to oversee construction as well as the signing of the draft construction agreement.
The Sounda Hydropower Plant is expected to boost the country’s energy capacity, complementing the existing three hydropower plants – the 120 MW Imboulou project, the 74 MW Moukoukoulou plant and the 19 MW Djoué facility.
