Symbion Power Announces Massive $700M Lake Kivu Methane Power Project
American power developer Symbion Power has unveiled plans for a groundbreaking $700 million investment to harness methane gas from the dangerous depths of Lake Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, transforming a potential environmental hazard into clean electricity for millions.
The ambitious project will see construction of a 140 MW gas-fired power plant and critical transmission infrastructure near the volatile DRC-Rwanda border. The 30-month construction timeline represents one of the largest single energy investments in the region’s recent history.
Lake Kivu, sitting on the border between the DRC and Rwanda, contains massive reserves of dissolved methane that pose both an opportunity and a threat to local populations. The project aims to safely extract this methane while generating desperately needed power for the region’s growing industrial demands.
Symbion Power is also pursuing an additional $1.5 billion power line project linking Angola to the DRC’s mining heartland, with financing expected from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and Export-Import Bank.
Source: energycapitalpower.com
