Strategic inspection along the Pointe-Noire—Brazzaville axis
Standing beneath the pylons of Loudima, in Bouenza, Energy and Hydraulics Minister Emile Ouosso chose to take the measure of works that are quietly reshaping the electrical spine linking Pointe-Noire to the capital. His mission, carried out with a compact delegation of engineers and financiers, consisted in what he called “a first-hand evaluation of the rehabilitation and reinforcement of the transport network”. The site visit marks the Government’s deliberate follow-through on its commitment to modernise infrastructure connecting the country’s two largest cities—an artery whose original components date back to 1982.
Eni Congo’s civil works entering a pivotal phase
Contracted after a competitive process, Eni Congo is executing the civil engineering package that will anchor the upgraded transformers stretching from the coastal metropolis to the Djiri node near Brazzaville. According to technicians on site, works proceed within schedule and specifications, with completion forecast between February and March 2026. “Eni was mandated to begin with the civil works—preparing the concrete supports that will receive heavy equipment,” Minister Ouosso reminded journalists, stressing that this preparatory phase is now finalised and that compensators and associated gear are already on order. In Loudima, freshly poured plinths stand ready, tangible proof of an industrial choreography whose tempo has so far aligned with the contractual roadmap.
Managing inevitable outages with transparent communication
The overhaul of a live 225-kilovolt line is not without its temporary inconveniences. The Minister adopted a tone of candour when addressing communities that have grown accustomed to intermittent supply. “Technicians do not work under tension,” he cautioned, announcing episodes of power cuts as unavoidable moments along the path to a stronger grid. By acknowledging disruptions in advance and offering apologies “for the inconvenience that will persist for a while”, the ministry positions itself as a partner rather than a distant overseer. The pledge that “better days lie ahead” underlines the administration’s confidence that short-term discomfort will translate into medium-term reliability.
Dolisie high-tension substation: a catalyst for regional growth
Well before arriving in Loudima, the ministerial convoy halted in Dolisie, Niari, where a new 110/30-kilovolt high-tension/medium-tension substation is rising. The structure is conceived to unlock power flows toward Mossendjo, Makabana, Mayoko and even Mbinda. “The bulk of the work—terracing, foundations and delivery of Chinese-manufactured equipment—is already complete,” project coordinator Joseph Balé Nguenfiri reported. Jean Bruno Danga Adou, Director-General of Énergie électrique du Congo (E²C), articulated the core objective in plain terms: improving product quality. In a city often described as the economic hinge of southern Congo, reliable power is more than a utility; it is a pre-condition for industrial take-off.
Timeline and economic stakes of the 2026 delivery
Both the Loudima node and the Dolisie substation are embedded in a government programme launched three years ago under E²C engineering oversight. Their synchronised commissioning, expected between February and early March 2026, is intended to consolidate Dolisie’s rank as Congo’s third city, bolster Kouilou’s industrial corridor and contribute to Brazzaville’s security of supply. “Energy is the enabler of economic and commercial activity,” Minister Ouosso observed, linking kilowatts to competitiveness. Should the calendar hold, businesses from timber processors in Niari to emerging service firms in the capital may soon transact against a backdrop of markedly fewer voltage dips. The projects thus carry weight not only in technical terms but also in their capacity to reinforce national cohesion by binding coastal, forest and riverine economies through a single, resilient circuit.