Today in Katanga, specifically in Lubumbashi, to mark the presence of mining giant Kibali Gold Mines at the 21st edition of DRC Mining Week, Mr. Jean Paul Ilunga Mbayo, an electrical engineer, granted an interview to the media outlets of the Mining News Magazine and Leaders press group. The interview is reproduced below in full.
Journalist: Good morning, Engineer Ilunga Mbayo.
Eng. Ilunga Mbayo: Good morning, Mr. Journalist.
Journalist: Engineer, we saw you participating in a panel discussion dedicated to energy. We would like to take this opportunity to ask how your major solar power project is progressing. We visited it with members of Katanga’s civil society while it was still under construction.
Eng. Ilunga Mbayo: Thank you for that question. Indeed, when you visited our solar power plant, it was still under construction. I am pleased to inform you that on 30 June 2025, we officially commissioned the plant. Today, it is fully operational and is already generating electricity.
The plant currently reaches a peak output of 16 megawatts. On average, depending on weather conditions, it generates between 10 and 12 megawatts per day. We can therefore confirm that it is now fully functional and is making an effective contribution to the site’s energy supply.
Journalist: Thank you very much. We would also like to know whether this energy will benefit the surrounding communities or whether it will be used exclusively for the plant’s operational needs.
Eng. Ilunga Mbayo: This energy will also benefit local communities. We have increased the energy capacity available at our site through the integration of the new solar power plant with our existing network. We now operate a diversified energy mix that combines hydropower, thermal power, solar energy, and battery storage systems.
Thanks to this additional capacity, local communities will also be able to benefit from the positive impacts of this project, which we commissioned a few months ago.
Journalist: Your company positions itself as a committed player in the transition toward green energy. Could you outline the main advantages, as well as any possible disadvantages, of this type of energy?
Eng. Ilunga Mbayo: The advantages of green energy are numerous. I would particularly highlight the environmental aspect. These energy sources significantly reduce polluting emissions and help preserve the environment. That is why they are commonly referred to as clean energy sources.
Another major advantage concerns production costs. Compared to other energy sources, particularly thermal power that relies on generators, the cost of producing a kilowatt-hour from renewable energy is much lower over the long term.
Journalist: Are there no disadvantages to this technology?
Eng. Ilunga Mbayo: The main disadvantage is the initial investment, which is relatively high. However, once the installation has been amortised, especially after several years of operation, the cost of the energy becomes extremely competitive and highly advantageous.
Journalist: To conclude, how is Kibali Gold Mine doing today?
Eng. Ilunga Mbayo: Everything is going well at Kibali Gold Mine. Whether in terms of production or the company’s other activities, we are not experiencing any particular problems at this time.
Journalist: So shared prosperity remains a priority?
Eng. Ilunga Mbayo: Absolutely. Shared prosperity remains our commitment.
Interview conducted by Jeef Kazadi
Transcribed by Stéphane Nzinga
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