- DRC plans equity participation in the US$270 million Kalumbila Kolwezi Interconnector Project linking Zambia and Kolwezi’s mining hub.
- Transmission line will initially supply 460 MW with expansion potential to 550 MW to support growing copper production.
- Project aims to ease a power deficit of more than 5,000 MW and reduce reliance on costly diesel generation in mining operations.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is pursuing an equity stake in the US$270 million Kalumbila Kolwezi Interconnector Project, a major cross border electricity transmission initiative designed to strengthen power supply to the country’s copper rich southern mining region.
The project involves the construction of a 190 km to 200 km high voltage transmission line connecting Zambia’s northwestern mining region with Kolwezi in the DRC. The infrastructure will include a 330 kV transmission line linking the ZESCO substation at Kalumbila in Zambia to Kolwezi, one of Africa’s most important copper and cobalt production centres.
The interconnector is expected to deliver an initial 460 MW of electricity, with future expansion capacity of up to 550 MW as industrial demand grows.
Private trading firm Enterprise Power DRC and its Zambian subsidiary are leading the development of the project. Zambia’s Energy Regulation Board recently approved the construction permits, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for implementation.
The project is expected to play a critical role in reducing operational costs for mining companies that currently depend on expensive diesel backup systems due to unreliable grid supply. Improved electricity access is also expected to support the expansion of copper production and downstream mineral processing activities in the DRC.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
