Wedoany.com Report-Nov. 27, Ivanhoe Mines has announced that the newly refurbished Turbine #5 at the Inga II hydropower station in the Democratic Republic of Congo has achieved full operating capacity, generating approximately 180 MW of clean electricity for the national grid. The Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex is now receiving an initial 50 MW from this output.

Representatives from DRC state-owned power utility, Société Nationale d'Electricité (SNEL), engineering and construction contractors Gruner Stucky AG and VOITH, and Kamoa Copper, standing on top of the recently refurbished Turbine #5, inside the turbine hall at the Inga II hydroelectric facility.

Executive Co-Chair Robert Friedland and President and CEO Marna Cloete stated that power supply to Kamoa-Kakula is scheduled to rise to 100 MW by the first quarter of 2026 and reach 150 MW during 2027 as ongoing transmission upgrades are completed. By the end of 2027, the complex expects to secure around 210 MW of domestically generated renewable hydropower.

The refurbishment of Turbine #5, which included replacement of key mechanical and electrical components, was finished in the third quarter of 2025, with successful grid synchronisation in early fourth quarter.

Steady increases in power delivery depend on upgrades to the Inga (SCI) and Kolwezi (SCK) substations. Resistor bank improvements at Inga were completed in May 2025, while similar work at Kolwezi is nearing completion. A static compensator at Kolwezi, set for commissioning in early 2026, will enable transmission of up to 100 MW. Additional filter bank enhancements at both substations will continue over the next 18 months to support the final target of 150 MW by mid-2027.

The project stems from a long-term public-private partnership between Ivanhoe Mines and Société Nationale d'Électricité (SNEL), the DRC state power utility, launched over a decade ago to restore 250 MW of renewable capacity at Inga II. Commissioning activities involved representatives from SNEL, engineering firm Gruner Stucky AG, equipment supplier VOITH, and Kamoa Copper.

The restored hydropower provides reliable, low-carbon energy essential for the continued expansion of the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex, one of the world's largest and highest-grade copper operations. The initiative supports both national grid stability and sustainable industrial development in the region.