Africa plans biggest dam project (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

A plan to build the largest and most powerful hydroelectric dam in the world is being discussed in London.

Financiers and African politicians will look at how to finance the $80bn (£40bn) cost of the Grand Inga project.

The plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo would generate twice as much energy as China's Three Gorges dam.

It is hoped it will boost Africa's electricity supply by a third, but opponents doubt it will help the poorest Africans without electricity.

The World Energy Council, (WEC) which is hosting the two-day meeting in London, says the Grand Inga project will help the estimated 500 million Africans without access to electricity.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7358542.stm

[jaksavage]

1. World's biggest

Disaster coming right up.

[jwirr]

2. So if it is not going to help the poor then who? Industrialist who hope

to exploit the poor?

[hunter]

3. Biggest damn project, that's for sure.

Let's all hear it for something worse than nuclear power!

:applause:

[Massacure]

4. I don't know what is more depressing...

The fact that it would be twice as big as three gorges or the fact that it would increase Africa's total energy supply by 1/3.

[Dead_Parrot]

5. God knows what all those Brown People would do with electricity

Especially renewable electricity. Shit, the buggers will be wanting to vote, use as much energy as we do and control their own lives next...

...Maybe we can chuck 'em a few PV panels and beads and shit and they'll go away. :shrug:

[hunter]

7. Gasp. What if they decide to keep their own resources for themselves???

If they are kept starving, cold, and in the dark they don't need cars, or highways, or any of the fancy development we take for granted, and that leaves them with plenty of natural resources to export...

When we were building all our big dams that was different, this is God Bless America, Manifest Destiny, and all that you know...


Progress of America, 1875, by Domenico Tojetti

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_exceptionalism

With big dams like this Rural Electrification of the historical U.S. sort is a by-product and not the goal -- rather this electricity will be used to produce aluminum, steel, and chemical feedstocks.

[gear_head]

6. who gets the carbon offsets? n/t