DRC seeks equity stake in $270m Zambia power interconnector

The Democratic Republic of Congo is seeking to take a financial stake in the Kalumbila-Kolwezi Interconnector Project, a roughly $270 million, 330kV transmission line linking mining regions in Zambia's North-Western Province to Kolwezi in the DRC's Lualaba province, after Zambia's Energy Regulation Board granted the construction approvals needed to proceed. The nearly 200-kilometre line is designed to carry an initial 460MW, with the potential to expand to 550MW as demand grows.

The project is being developed by Enterprise Power DRC and its Zambian subsidiary, and would be the first privately developed and financed high-voltage transmission line crossing two countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the project's backers. Enterprise Power Zambia managing director Emmanuel Kalenga has previously described the interconnector's cross-border structure as a first for the region's power sector.

Addressing a 5,000MW gap

The DRC currently faces an electricity shortfall estimated at more than 5,000MW, forcing many mining operations in the Lualaba copperbelt to rely on diesel generators, which raise both costs and emissions for copper and cobalt producers. By tapping into Zambia's grid — which has itself been recovering from years of drought-driven shortages — the interconnector would give Congolese mines access to additional, potentially more reliable power without waiting for new domestic generation capacity such as further Inga hydropower to come online.

Financing still to be finalised

With Zambia's regulatory approval secured, DRC government interest in taking an equity position reflects the strategic importance both countries attach to the line, though the project still needs to close financing before construction can begin in earnest. For copper and cobalt miners on both sides of the border, from Kalumbila's Sentinel and Enterprise mines to Kolwezi's dense cluster of copper and cobalt operations, a working interconnector would mark a rare case of cross-border power infrastructure built specifically to serve the mining industry rather than national grids in general. The DRC's interest in taking an equity stake, rather than simply buying power under contract, also suggests Kinshasa wants a direct say in how the line is operated and prioritised once it is built.

Sources

• SolarQuarter: Democratic Republic of Congo Seeks Stake In $270 Million Zambia Power Interconnector Project, 08 May 2026
• ConstructAfrica: DRC-Zambia Power Interconnector Project Progresses, 03 Dec 2024