US-based energy firm, Hydro-Link, has signed a memorandum of understanding to build a 1,150-kilometer electricity transmission line between Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
At the signing ceremony on the sidelines of the 17th U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Luanda, Angola, Paul Hinks, CEO of Hydro-Link said the $1.5 billion project is set to strengthen regional energy integration.
“The transmission line will promote regional energy integration, provide energy security to the DRC, support the development of industrial hubs for local manufacturing and mineral processing, and create thousands of local construction jobs.”
The transmission line will stretch from Angola’s Kwanza River to Kolwezi in the DRC.
The project supports energy security, powers mining operations, and brings clean, affordable electricity to communities and industries along the corridor.
“The power transmission line, scheduled for completion in 2029, will connect hydropower sites in Angola, which enjoys a surplus of energy at its hydroelectric power plants, to the critical mineral mines in Southeastern DRC’s Copperbelt region”, Hydro-Link said in a statement.
Hydro-Link also signed a separate MoU with Swiss-based Mitrelli Group, which has joined as a major investor and partner, bringing decades of experience in Angola to help deliver the project.
Haim Taib, Founder and President of Mitrelli Group said:
“This partnership with Hydro-Link is a strategic move to jointly advance regional economy and reflects our long-standing commitment to sustainable development in Africa.
“Beyond enabling trade and industrial growth, we believe infrastructure must serve the people, ensuring that energy access empowers communities, supports local development and creates new opportunities for the millions living along this vital route in Angola.”
Mining and processing operations in mineral-rich DRC are frequently hampered by unreliable power supply and electricity shortages.
“While primarily designed to power mining operations, the line will also connect to load centers in both Angola and the DRC supplying much-needed electricity for public use”, Hinks said.
To cover approximately 70% of the project’s cost, Hydro-Link is seeking funding from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).
The firm is also seeking support from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency for feasibility studies, and additional backing from the U.S. Export-Import Bank.
The line is expected to deliver up to 1.2 gigawatts of electricity from Angola’s Lauca hydropower plant and possibly the Caculo Cabaça hydropower plant.
The energy will supply the Kolwezi mining region in the DRC, targeting companies such as Glencore and Ivanhoe Mines, and potentially new U.S. entrants under a minerals-for-security agreement currently under negotiation between Kinshasa and Washington.
The African Development Bank has Angola currently has 1.5 gigawatts of unused clean hydropower capacity, a figure expected to rise to 3.5 gigawatts by 2027.
Meanwhile, the DRC’s persistent energy shortages continue to stall the development of key mining projects.
