Plastic waste clogs hydroelectric dams, causing power outages in many major cities in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Ruzizi Hydroelectric Power Plant in Bukavu

The main culprit causing the power outage is widespread plastic waste, resulting from the fact that people in the Democratic Republic of Congo are increasing their use of plastic because of its convenience and low cost, along with the lack of an effective plastic waste collection network.

The Ruzizi Dam at the southern end of Lake Kivu, bordering Rwanda, supplies electricity to Bukavu and other cities. So the ongoing blackouts are hurting local businesses.

Recent heavy rains have pushed plastic waste from the mountainous terrain into the lake, clogging the dam.

"The plastic waste successfully blocked the water flow. Water could not enter the pipes to provide the pressure and velocity needed for the machines to operate," Reuters quoted Ljovy Mulemangabo, provincial director of the national electricity company SNEL, as saying on November 18.

Every day, sanitation workers clear away plastic bottles, food containers, and other trash that can shut down hydroelectric power plants for hours. Despite their efforts, the plastic continues to accumulate, causing widespread power outages.

Didier Kabi, director of the Department of Environment and Green Economy, is among those looking for solutions, such as asking households to join an organization that collects plastic waste from upstream to prevent it from being dumped into the lake.

Surface cleanup was not enough, as plastic debris accumulated to a depth of 14 m, forcing teams of divers to participate in the process of treating the lake bed so that the dam turbines could operate.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/rac-nhua-lam-tac-nghen-dap-thuy-dien-gay-mat-dien-nhieu-thanh-pho-lon-chdc-congo-18524111814200471.htm