The plant will have an energy output of 12.5 megawatts

Dec 20, 2013 14:12 GMT  ·  By
Hydropower plant now under construction on Rutshuru River in Congo's Virunga National Park
   Hydropower plant now under construction on Rutshuru River in Congo's Virunga National Park

Just yesterday, green group the World Wildlife Fund announced that a new hydropower plant was under construction in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Virunga National Park.

According to the organization, work on this electricity generation facility began this past Monday. Once completed, and up and running, the plant is expected to roll out some 12.5 megawatts of energy.

The hydropower plant is being built on the Rutshuru River, and should go online in 2016. Whatever electricity it produces will be used by local communities.

“Once online, the hydropower plant will provide 12.5 megawatts of clean energy to communities living around the park, more than doubling the existing hydroelectric capacity,” the World Wildlife Fund writes on its website.

“The facility is also expected to provide fresh drinking water to more than one million nearby residents,” the organization further details.

Costs for this project are estimated to amount to $19.7 million (€14.4 million). Funding was provided by American philanthropist Howard G. Buffett.