DRC Mining Week opened its doors this Wednesday, June 19th, 2019. For three days, all the actors of the mining sector got together to reflect on the questions and challenges of their sector. The first session of this inaugural day was devoted to energy.

From these exchanges, it emerges that the energy sector in the DRC is developing slowly. However, private initiatives are multiplying. This is the case of Tembo Power, Sombwe and Zesco-ERG.

For Guy Muleta, chief of staff of the provincial Minister of Mines of Upper Katanga, lamented the rough estimates of the energy deficit of the mining industry and advocated a solution.

« I think we need to computerize in order to quantify the need for energy. We must also separate the domestic and industrial need », he said.

As for the Solwezi- Kolwezi line, Diagne Mabouba of the Mauritius Development Bank, the only banker on this panel, said the problem is not the lack of money. But, rather, the absence of bankable projects. Hence, the encouragement to Congolese operators to take initiatives to raise funds for their realization.

Another observation is the slowness in setting up the Energy Regulatory Authority. Indeed, since the liberalization of this sector by the law of 2014, this structure is slow to be launched by the national executive.

The future coalition government to be led by Prime Minister Ilunga Ilunkamba will be one of its priorities to set up the Regulatory Authority for the Energy Sector in the DRC.

Nadine FULA, special correspondent in Lubumbashi