The World Energy Council detailed plans to expedite construction of the world’s biggest hydro complex, the $80-billion Grand Inga scheme in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  The not-for-profit organization released the information on April 21 at a London financing workshop.

The project, with a 205-m-tall dam, would expand existing generating capacity at the Congo River site, 250 km south west of Kinshasa.

Achieving the site’s potential of 44,000 MW would cost $40 billion each for the plant and transmission system, according to the WEC.

Nearly 1,800-MW are already installed at the site and another 4,320-MW is under development at a cost of $3.5 billion. If commissioned by 2025, Grand Inga would meet 20% of the continent’s electricity demand.